It’s My Life 2001
Distributed by First Run/Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Philip Brooks and Steven Markovitz
Directed by Brian Tilley
VHS, color, 72 min.
Sr. High - Adult
African Studies, Health Sciences, Political Science, Multicultural Studies, Sociology
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Ethan Pullman, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Hillman Library, University Library System, University of PittsburghRarely do we get a chance to understand what it is like to live with AIDS on a day to day bases. We often see the aftermath. Death. This film is about life. Zackie Achmat, who is HIV positive, takes us with him on his daily struggle, as well as his ultimate battle: making anti-retroviral medicines affordable and available in public hospitals and clinics. Zackie himself refuses to take these medicines that could save his life until the South African government laws force multinational drug companies to introduce cheaper drug treatment options. Zackie has quite a battle on his hand with South Africa President, Thabo Mbeki, having made several public statements indicating his refusal to acknowledge the HIV epedimic or its link to AIDS. In addition, support of family and friends doesn’t come easy with such a powerful stance, few agree with his tactics.
The filming is extremely high quality, with good audio, and well edited. I was extremely impressed with the Tilley’s ability to reflect both the human and political sides of a the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS. This documentary presents the interdependant relationship between our personal life and social policies and government.
The documentary nature of the film is invaluable in promoting the understanding of issues that drive policy making. It’s My Life is highly recommend for school, public, and academic libraries alike. In addition, it’s is essential for any specialized collections.