The Gift (2003)

Synopsis: THE GIFT Documents the phenomenon of deliberate HIV infection. Twenty years after the initial panic there is a dangerous new complacency fueled by the mistaken belief that AIDS is now a manageable... THE GIFT Documents the phenomenon of deliberate HIV infection. Twenty years after the initial panic there is a dangerous new complacency fueled by the mistaken belief that AIDS is now a manageable disease. Gift Giver: HIV positive man who gives The Gift of HIV infection. Bug Chaser: HIV negative man who deliberately becomes infected with HIV. Barebacking: Deliberate high-risk sex with disregard for HIV infection. From the condom weary to the conscious desire for deliberate HIV infection, disturbing new trends of risky behavior have pushed the rate of new infections back into a rapid rise, all to the mantra of 'Don't Ask - Don't Tell.' Using internet sites for promotion and connection this barebacking community (sex without a condom) is flourishing. This includes bug chasers and conversion parties where men actively seek The Gift of HIV infection. Doug, a central character of the film is a bright, articulate young man who moved from the Midwest to San Francisco in search of a gay community. He became a bug chaser and actively sought The Gift of HIV infection. When Doug became infected with the HIV virus, he had a community. He is now dealing with the unexpected severity of his illness. Dr. Walt Odets, the author of In the Shadow of the Epidemic where he writes about the loss, grief and anxiety experienced by negative men living with the AIDS epidemic, is featured in this documentary. A noted psychoanalyst, he is very involved with the gay community and speaks at length about prevention – why it has failed and what needs to be done. It is my hope that this film will raise the issue of isolation and division creating a dialogue within the community, thereby leading to greater awareness and a renewed prevention effort. [More]

Director: Louise Hogarth

Director: Louise Hogarth