How to Survive a Plague

How to Survive a Plague is the story of two coalitions - ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group) -whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition. Despite having no scientific training, these self-made activists infiltrated the pharmaceutical industry and helped identify promising new drugs, moving them from experimental trials to patients in record time. With unfettered access to a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival footage from the 1980s and '90s, filmmaker David France puts the viewer smack in the middle of the controversial actions, the heated meetings, the heartbreaking failures, and the exultant breakthroughs of heroes in the making.

“One of the most important documentaries in years or decades.” (Andrew O’Hehir, Salon)

“When it's over, this documentary lingers as a testament to extraordinary human bravery. It stands as one of the most heartbreaking and suspenseful sagas of the year.” (Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle)