Miss HIV
Encyclopedia
Miss HIV is a feature length documentary
by Ethnographic Media, released to DVD on August 26, 2008. Written and directed by Jim Hanon (Beyond the Gates of Splendor
, End of the Spear
), and produced by Mart Green
, the film explores the international collision of HIV/AIDS policies while following the journey of two HIV-positive women who enter a pageant in Botswana
. What is happening in Botswana, where half of all pregnant women are HIV positive, is set contrasted with the past successes of Uganda
, which has experienced one of the largest reductions in HIV infections ever recorded.
s, people are still dying of a preventable disease. He traveled to the International AIDS Conference
in Toronto and found that answering that question meant addressing the issue of controlling sexual behaviors and moral judgement, which is already a point of conflict between many church and homosexual communities. Controlling sex also raises issues of women's rights
in parts of the world where women are not able to refuse their partners.
Producer Mart Green had read a book by Dr. Edward C. Green
, which shared the success of the Uganda ABC program (Abstinence, be faithful, use a condom
) and how this program is under attack from AIDS activists. Questions emerged about sex, human rights, and ideology. Hanon felt that the Miss HIV pageant in Botswana was a place to explore these questions.
Gaelebale Thabang - HIV Positive contestant
Bill Gates
Melinda Gates
Bill Clinton
Dr. Edward C. Green
Dr. Norman Hearst
Martin Ssempa
Music group, The Newsboys joined Ethnographic Media in Africa during production not only as musicians, but also as members of the film making crew. Their music video for the song "Something Beautiful" was filmed in Uganda by the Ethnographic film team as well.
, Anthony Crawford
and Gospel rapper Mr. Del.
"Something Beautiful" - The Newsboys
"Rain Cry" - Mr. Del
"U Can Do It 2" - Mr. Del
Heartland Film Festival
2007
Africa World Festival of Documentary Films 2007
Artivist Film Festival 2007
San Francisco Black Film Festival
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
by Ethnographic Media, released to DVD on August 26, 2008. Written and directed by Jim Hanon (Beyond the Gates of Splendor
Beyond the Gates of Splendor
Beyond the Gates of Splendor is a feature-length documentary film that was released in 2004. It chronicles the events leading up to and following Operation Auca, an attempt to contact the Huaorani tribe of Ecuador in which five American missionaries were killed...
, End of the Spear
End of the Spear
End of the Spear is a 2006 docudrama film that recounts the story of Operation Auca, in which five American Christian missionaries attempted to evangelize the Huaorani people of the jungle of Ecuador...
), and produced by Mart Green
Mart Green
Mart Green is the founder and CEO of Mardel Christian and Educational Supply and of Every Tribe Entertainment, and an heir to the Hobby Lobby family of companies which was founded by Mart's father David Green....
, the film explores the international collision of HIV/AIDS policies while following the journey of two HIV-positive women who enter a pageant in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
. What is happening in Botswana, where half of all pregnant women are HIV positive, is set contrasted with the past successes of Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, which has experienced one of the largest reductions in HIV infections ever recorded.
Inspiration
According to Hanon, HIV/AIDS is an almost unimaginable tragedy that everyone acknowledges at some level; but Hanon believes it is largely compartmentalized by those Westerners who have no direct experience with the disease. Hanon wanted to find out why, unlike previous pandemicPandemic
A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic...
s, people are still dying of a preventable disease. He traveled to the International AIDS Conference
International AIDS Conference
The International AIDS Society is the custodian of the International AIDS Conference, the largest regular conference on any health or development issue. These conferences provide a forum for the interaction of science, community and leadership, and are claimed to strengthen an evidence-based...
in Toronto and found that answering that question meant addressing the issue of controlling sexual behaviors and moral judgement, which is already a point of conflict between many church and homosexual communities. Controlling sex also raises issues of women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
in parts of the world where women are not able to refuse their partners.
Producer Mart Green had read a book by Dr. Edward C. Green
Edward C. Green
Edward C. Green is an American medical anthropologist currently affiliated with the Dept. of Population and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University. He was a Senior Research Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health and served as director of the AIDS Prevention Research Project at...
, which shared the success of the Uganda ABC program (Abstinence, be faithful, use a condom
Abstinence, be faithful, use a condom
Abstinence, be faithful, use a condom, also known as the ABC strategy or abstinence-plus sex education, also known as abstinence-based sex education, is a sex education policy based on harm reduction which modifies the approach of abstinence-only sex education by including education about safe sex...
) and how this program is under attack from AIDS activists. Questions emerged about sex, human rights, and ideology. Hanon felt that the Miss HIV pageant in Botswana was a place to explore these questions.
Individuals featured
Elizabeth Romolale - HIV Positive contestantGaelebale Thabang - HIV Positive contestant
Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates
Melinda Ann French , later known as Melinda French Gates, is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the wife of Bill Gates...
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
Dr. Edward C. Green
Edward C. Green
Edward C. Green is an American medical anthropologist currently affiliated with the Dept. of Population and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University. He was a Senior Research Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health and served as director of the AIDS Prevention Research Project at...
Dr. Norman Hearst
Martin Ssempa
Martin Ssempa
Martin Ssempa is an Ugandan pastor and activist, founder of the Makerere Community Church. He rejects separation of church and state, opposes the usage of condoms to prevent HIV contraction and supports abstinence plus fidelity education in the fight against sexual diseases...
Filming
Miss HIV was filmed on location across sub-Saharan Africa and at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto with Bill and Melinda Gates and former President Bill Clinton.Music group, The Newsboys joined Ethnographic Media in Africa during production not only as musicians, but also as members of the film making crew. Their music video for the song "Something Beautiful" was filmed in Uganda by the Ethnographic film team as well.
Soundtrack
Contributing to the soundtrack of the film were international jazz artist Kirk WhalumKirk Whalum
Kirk Whalum is an American smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. He toured as Whitney Houston's opening act for several years. Whalum has also recorded a series of well received solo albums and film soundtracks, with music ranging from pop to R&B to smooth jazz...
, Anthony Crawford
Anthony Crawford (bass musician)
-External links:*...
and Gospel rapper Mr. Del.
Behind-the-scenes
The Ethnographic Film team has released several behind-the-scenes videos that chronicle the journey of the film team as well as the music artists that joined the production. EGM also filmed three music videos related to the project for the songs:"Something Beautiful" - The Newsboys
"Rain Cry" - Mr. Del
"U Can Do It 2" - Mr. Del
Film festivals
Redemptive Film Festival 2007 - Winner Redemptive Storyteller AwardHeartland Film Festival
Heartland Film Festival
The Heartland Film Festival is a film festival held each October in Indianapolis, Indiana. First held in 1992, its goal is to "recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life."In May 2007, Heartland...
2007
Africa World Festival of Documentary Films 2007
Artivist Film Festival 2007
San Francisco Black Film Festival