1.2. Supporting Program

Author reading by Ekaterina Tomashevskaia from her book *Second Wind or How to Conquer HIV in the World* (in Russian without translation)

“My book is a profound and meticulously crafted work. It is based on my personal experience of living with HIV over many years, as well as observations, analysis, and clinical experience in treatment, therapy selection, and adherence. Additionally, it includes my insights into the healthcare system from within, the communication between doctors and patients, and the psychological situation of people living with HIV, including social isolation and stigmatization.”
“As a long-term survivor, I have rare experience with high sensitivity to antiretroviral therapy and have switched through 21 therapy regimens in the last 10 years. During numerous hospital stays, I have also gathered direct experiences and accounts from other people living with HIV over many years, including patients in advanced stages of the disease.”

Venue: Room 122

Feature film by Wanuri Kahiu, Kenya 2018, 83 minutes,
Original version with Swahili/German subtitles, age rating 12

“Good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – Kena learns early on what is expected of girls and women in her homeland: to be obedient and submit to the will of men. Even her single mother is blamed for her husband leaving her for a younger woman. But the self-confident Kena refuses to let others dictate how she should live. She befriends the beautiful Ziki, even though their fathers are political rivals. At first, the gossip in the neighborhood doesn’t bother the girls much. But when Kena and Ziki fall in love, they must choose: between the supposed safety of hiding their love and the chance for their shared happiness.

“Rafiki” – the title means “friend” in Swahili – is the first Kenyan film to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival. In Kenya itself, where homosexuality is still criminalized, the film was initially banned from screening, a restriction that was only lifted after the director filed a lawsuit. Based on the award-winning short story *Jambula Tree* (2008) by Ugandan author Monica Arac de Nyeko, *Rafiki* tells the story of African youth rebelling against homophobia, religious dogma, and parental strictness. A captivating film that radiates a love of freedom and joy of life in vibrant colors.

Source: https://salzgeber.de/rafiki

Feature film, USA 2016, 111 min, rated 12

Growing up under difficult circumstances: Chiron lives in a housing project, his single mother is addicted to drugs, and his classmates bully him. Yet Barry Jenkins tells this story through sensual imagery, free from the clichés of socially conscious cinema.

Barry Jenkins’ *Moonlight* is many things: the coming-of-age story of a gay Black American under challenging conditions; a universal tale of what it’s like to grow up when you’re marginalized in multiple ways; and a story about Black masculinity—specifically, as Jenkins puts it, 'about Black masculinity in economically disadvantaged areas of American cities.'

Source: https://www.epd-film.de/filmreviews/moonlight

On Saturday morning, we will not meet at the university. The morning belongs to Magdeburg. We invite all participants to gather at 9:30 AM at Leiterstraße near the Stabwerk monument (100 meters from the hotel). From there, we will start together at 10:00 AM with a cultural-historical city walk, including a demonstration and rally. Under the motto People Living with HIV Against the Right – Boundless [and] in Solidarity! we will reclaim the city, explore key cultural-historical sites, and stand united with our allies from Magdeburg against the threat from the right. We know that exclusion and discrimination kill and make people sick. Many of us belong to particularly vulnerable groups. International disengagement is already costing lives and could lead to catastrophe. We take to the streets to show: Health and a life in dignity are human rights! Along the way, we will discover beautiful Magdeburg and walk to our event venue.

By 12:00 PM at the latest, we will be back at the university, just in time for lunch, which starts at 12:00 PM on Saturday. Workshops will resume at 1:00 PM.

Documentary film, original version with English/German subtitles, 2024, 40 min

The Oscar-nominated U.S. documentary *Cashing Out* examines a macabre business model involving life insurance policies of people with AIDS in a nuanced way.

During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and early 1990s, people with AIDS not only faced imminent death but often lacked even the most basic necessities. Many were no longer able to work or lost their jobs—and with them, in the U.S., their health insurance. They could not expect help from the state.

In this desperate situation, a bizarre and morally questionable business model emerged: people with AIDS, who often had only weeks or months to live, sold their life insurance policies to private investors. These investors paid a portion of the policy’s value—sometimes as little as 30%, sometimes up to 80%—upfront. After the policyholder’s death, the investors received the full insurance payout.

Source: https://magazin.hiv/magazin/cashing-out-documentary/

Documentary film, original version with Ukrainian/English subtitles

37 min. Directed by: Mo Stoebe. Executive Producer: Richard Gere. Producers: David Gere, Katja Kulenkampff. Featuring: Yana Panfilova, Liza Shevchuk, Yehor Pasko, Mariia Deriuha.

This film follows 24-year-old Yana Panfilova, an HIV-positive activist from Ukraine living in Berlin. Born with the virus, she was forced to flee her hometown of Kyiv due to the war of aggression. Despite this, she continues to lead 'Teenergizer,' a large youth organization that supports young people in Ukraine facing challenges related to HIV and mental health.

To raise awareness about the growing HIV crisis and the stigma associated with the virus in her country, Yana collaborates with experienced photographer Gideon Mendel. After decades of documenting the epidemic, Mendel decided to pass the camera to HIV-positive individuals, turning those portrayed into creators themselves.

After Gideon trained Yana to use photography as a means of telling her story, she sets out to capture moments of her life. Her commitment proves pivotal as she inspires three young people from Ukraine living with HIV to come together. Following their own photographic training in Berlin, Liza, Mariia, and Yehor return to Ukraine to shed light on a unique crisis during a challenging historical period.