The MISS HIV NYC Film Festival begins on December 1, 2011, coinciding with this year’s observance of World AIDS Day. Crucial Arts is hosting the kick-off event at The Dwyer Cultural Center on Thursday, December 1 at 7pm. There will be free screenings of Miss HIV open to the public across the greater New York City area during the four-day festival. Carmen Neely, Crucial Arts’ executive director, comments, “The fight against stigmatization of HIV/AIDS is not just our fight – it’s a global one. Honest, thought-provoking films like EthnoGraphic Media’s Miss HIV are effective weapons in our campaigns.” More than 107,000 New Yorkers are living with HIV; however, thousands more don’t know that they are infected. New York City’s AIDS case rate is almost three times the U.S. average, and HIV is the third leading cause of death for New York City residents ages 35 to 54.
Screenings will be held throughout New York City and participants include: Harlem RBI, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Positive Health Project, Village Care, Housing Works, The Black Men’s Xchange-New York, HUMANINTONATION, Metropolitan Community Church of New York, Our Collective Mental Health, AIDS Resource Foundation for Children, Harlem United Community AIDS Center, Gay Men of African Descent, Promising Futures, New York Health Department, Beth Israel Medical Center, SAGE, Harlem Pride Inc., Exponents, Inc., FROSTD and Sisters Uptown Bookstore and Cultural Center.
Miss HIV is an award-winning documentary by director Jim Hanon and producer Mart Green that brings into the open the little-known struggle for dominance over AIDS education and prevention. Narrated by Della Reese, the film exposes the heated rhetoric, high stakes and heavy toll this battle has taken.
EGM president Bill Oechsler states, “The MISS HIV NYC Film Festival is a significant grassroots effort. We admire the visionary leadership of Crucial Arts and others willing to tackle this critical issue in such a creative way. Miss HIV is a film that shines a spotlight on the competing agendas that often complicate an already complex global crisis. By design, the film brings a greater awareness and sensitivity to these issues. It also prompts open and honest dialogue that can lead to positive action.” The primary audience for these screenings will be 16-to-35-year-olds as well as key influencers, i.e., educators, health professionals, religious leaders and community leaders. Daytime and evening film screenings of Miss HIV are being scheduled. Specific details will be posted on www.MissHIVNYC.org. Immediately following each screening, a diverse panel will take part in a Q&A session with the audience.
Crucial Arts is a 501(c)(3) organization. Their mission is to support, produce and promote performance and visual media that celebrate diverse artists and artistry of people of color. Their primary focus is presenting documentary films with alternative perspectives that expose the roots of current socio-political issues. They support independent filmmakers by promoting and hosting screenings of their work and serving as non-profit fiscal sponsors.
For more information visit www.MissHIVNYC.org.
