AIDS is gargantuan problem in South Africa. One in 5 people have HIV or AIDS, and in total 5 million people of South Africa have it (CIA world factbook). Various articles discussing the matter note that the life expectancy has decreased by 10 years because of it, and that only until very recently has the government taken truly meaningful steps in addressing this disease.
In this way the movie is a public service announcement. It follows a boys journey to Johannesberg. It is a high risk world. Truck drivers pick disease laden prostitutes off the sides of roads, and despite the immense risks follow their desires.
South Africa is a diverse country. According to wikipedia, it is more known plant life than almost any other country in the world. But the movie shows mostly a dry, somewhat flat, farm community of South Africa. The other world they show is Johannesberg which is busy, thriving, slummy, and dirty all at the same time. The negative or positive aspects of the city are emphasized dependent on what economic situation you are in.
But AIDs spreads across all economic barriers and geographic terrain. In a way AIDS thrives so much in this world due to the interconnectedness that is caused by a global economy. Economic necessity has forced many South Africans from farms to cities, and within the cities. The constantly changing life of the population leads to interactions of every kind, and with this an AIDS epidemic that cannot be localized or controlled. From reading, it seems that AIDs has hit the poorest communities the hardest. With poverty often comes a lack of education, self denial, and superstitions associated with the contraction of the illness.
There isn’t any government leadership on addressing the AIDS problem in this movie. Most people are ignorant, or don’t care about the illness. The movie addresses a great and terrible problem, but it comes across somewhat forced. A rich white guy who doesn’t give a damn about anything but money (although previously he once had a heart), suddenly after discovering his activist son has died (is on the verge of death)of AIDS focuses his finances towards the creation of homes for orphans and creates a work place that provides voluntary and free AIDS tests.
The movie does show that paths necessary in addressing the AIDS problem. In the small town, people step forward to vocalize that there is a problem going on. They are specific about the origins of the illness, and the importance of being tested, and what measures to take to decrease the likelihood of transmitting the sickness. Despite the constant stream of horrible things that happen in this movie, there is an upbeat and positive tone to the production. This is a movie that shows the devasting effect that AIDS has on South Africa, and also shows the ways common citizens can take in trying to remedy one of the greatest problems facing the world.
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