In honor 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 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.
Viewers will be taken on a journey, traveling all over the world with 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 organization 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.
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)
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.
“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.”
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.”
Andrew Jenks is an award-winning filmmaker who has lived and filmed all over the world. Often dubbed “the voice of his generation” Jenks’ previous work includes Andrew Jenks, Room 335, The Zen of Bobby V, MTV’s World of Jenks and most recently Posterized: The Story of Shawn Bradley. His productions have aired on HBO and ESPN.com’s Grantland platform, and his MTV World of Jenks series garnered over 5 million viewers, marking MTV’s highest rated series launch ever. Jenks was also the face for MTV News’ coverage for the 2012 Presidential Election, traveling the country speaking with Millennials and asking questions of Presidential candidates. Jenks has received praise from The New York Times for his ability to ‘take his camera into a world that is usually invisible and shine a light on a population that many of us would just as soon forget.’
In filming It’s Not Over, Jenks hopes to inspire his generation to care about a disease that affects more than 34 million people around the world, many of whom lack access to care or don’t know they are infected.
For more information on the film, including cast biographies, grantee overviews, exclusive clips and ways to get involved, please visit http://www.itsnotoverfilm.com.
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