Groundbreaking Documentary It's Not Over Debuts on Netflix and SnagFilms
LONDON, November 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Feature-length film takes viewers inside the lives of young people living with or impacted by HIV and marks a new approach for engaging a younger audience around a global epidemic
In honour of World AIDS Day, It's Not Over, a feature length documentary film made possible by the M.A.C AIDS Fund, the charitable arm of M.A.C Cosmetics, will be available worldwide on Netflix and SnagFilms on the 1st December, offering a global audience an inspiring look at how young people today are facing the challenges of HIV. Viewed from the perspective of renowned filmmaker Andrew Jenks, It's Not Over tells the story of three young people from different parts of the world who are living with or affected by HIV in vastly different, yet astonishingly inter-connected ways. Jenks visits India, South Africa and the United States to experience the epidemic first hand. The result is a deeply personal and uplifting story that is rarely represented in popular culture.
"Young people can end this epidemic, but to engage and motivate them toward this goal, we need to recognise that the era of PSAs and finger-wagging messages is gone. We've got to make them part of the solution, which we set out to do with this film," said Nancy Mahon, Global Executive Director, the M.A.C AIDS Fund. "It's Not Over represents the latest bold, creative strategy from the M.A.C AIDS Fund as we look to engage young people in impactful, meaningful, action-oriented ways to end the AIDS epidemic."
Netflix, the world's largest global streaming platform, is hosting the film for viewers worldwide, and SnagFilms, a leader in high-quality free film content, is making it available through its applications on Roku®, Xbox™, Sony® and more.
Viewers will be taken on a journey, traveling all over the world with Andrew Jenks, to put a face on the AIDS epidemic. Partnering with three courageous young people, Andrew works to humanise the issue as they show us an inside look at how their lives are affected by HIV as well as the lives of those around them. In America, Jenks meets Paige Rawl, a college freshman in Indiana who has been living with HIV her entire life. After years of battling the harsh stigma and depression she turned everything around to become a powerful advocate for fighting the disease from dance marathons at her university to supporting other children impacted by the disease. In India, Jenks meets Sarang Bhakre, a Mumbai playwright who is openly gay in a country that outlaws homosexuality. Sarang's current play addresses gay marriage, and filmmaker Jenks is along for the ride, from rehearsal to debut, witnessing the courage and bravery it takes Sarang to face these issues. In South Africa, Jenks meets Lucky Mfundisi, a Soccer Coach and educator with Grassroot Soccer, an AIDS organisation that teaches youth prevention through soccer. Lucky acts as a tour guide around Khayelitsha, the largest and fastest growing township in South Africa, with some of the highest rates of HIV in the world. Lucky shows Jenks how he is working to transcend the poverty with a message of hope and perseverance.
UNAIDS welcomes the film and calls upon young people around the world to mobilize around its vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. Globally, an estimated 5 million adolescents and young people (ages 10-24) were living with HIV in 2013. Millions of young people living with HIV do not know they have the virus. Every day approximately 1,800 adolescents and young people become infected with HIV, accounting for nearly 31 percent of all new HIV infections.
"Young people will lead us to an AIDS-free generation. By ensuring adolescents and young people are aware of and have access to HIV services, we are not only saving lives, but also investing in a healthier future for generations to come," said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "We are proud of the strong partnership we have with the M.A.C AIDS Fund to advance global efforts toward ending the AIDS epidemic."
The subjects in the film are active with M.A.C AIDS Fund grantees including Humsafar, Grassroot Soccer and Camp Kindle. These partners have received grants to help fight HIV/AIDS through the M.A.C AIDS Fund, which raises funds exclusively through the sale of M.A.C's VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass. In the UK, the full R.R.P Less V.A.T from the sale of VIVA GLAM lipstick and lipglass goes towards helping women, men and children everywhere affected by HIV/AIDS. To date, MAF has raised more than $340 million (U.S)
For more information on the film, including cast biographies, grantee overviews, exclusive clips and ways to get involved, please visit http://www.itsnotoverfilm.com.
ABOUT THE M.A.C AIDS FUND
The M.A.C AIDS Fund, the heart and soul of M.A.C Cosmetics, was established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. MAF is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS funding, providing financial support to organisations working with underserved regions and populations. Recently recognised by Funders Concerned About AIDS as the top corporate giver in the arena, MAF is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS by supporting diverse organisations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS. To date, MAF has raised more than $340 million (U.S.). In the UK, the full R.R.P Less V.A.T from the sale of VIVA GLAM lipstick and lipglass goes towards helping women, men and children everywhere affected by HIV/AIDS.
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