Suriname Film Tackles HIV Themes

A popular new "edutainment" film sponsored in part by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) uses a Romeo-and-Juliet-style love story to tackle tough issues about stigma and discrimination and living with HIV.

Produced in Suriname and first screened on World AIDS Day, A Love Story: Lesley and Anne depicts the relationship between two young people from different social backgrounds who are confronted with an HIV-positive diagnosis. The film shows how the young couple deals with their families' disapproval and how a family's love and understanding can help someone live a full life with HIV.

Youth audiences, the media and health specialists have praised the film, and teachers have requested that it be screened in local schools.

The film, recorded in Dutch with English subtitles, has so far aired on all of Suriname's television stations and two stations in Guyana. Special preview screenings were organized for focus groups of youths, members of nongovernmental organizations, the press, teachers, actors, writers, directors and other special audiences. Members of the public called the film's production office and sent e-mails with comments for weeks after the broadcast.

Responses from focus groups previewing the film were overwhelmingly positive. Viewers voiced approval of the film's realism and its openness in discussing sex and sexuality. "In Guyana we tend to mystify sex, and this is the breeding ground for the spread of HIV," said one viewer.

Audiences readily embraced the message that common misconceptions about class and status help fuel the spread of HIV. A number of viewers said the most important messages were that "HIV knows no class" and "rich people believe their money makes them invulnerable." Viewers also were receptive to the message that family support is essential for maintaining the quality of life of people living with HIV.

Several focus group participants insisted the target audience for the film should extend to adults as well as youths. One 18-year-old female said that by exclusively targeting youth, the makers of edutainment and information products were guilty of stigmatizing youth and suggesting that adults were always responsible and did not need to change their behavior.

Audiences in both countries voiced approval of the fact that A Love Story: Lesley and Anne was produced locally rather than by outsiders.

The 40-minute film was written and directed by Surinamese filmmaker Sharda Ganga and features two 20-year-old Surinamese teaching students in the starring roles. The boyfriend's younger sister was portrayed by 13-year-old Kim Aikman, who acted in a previous PAHO edutainment series, LIBI!, broadcast in Suriname along with Soul City, the award-winning South African edutainment series.

A Love Story: Lesley and Anne was produced as a pilot project to test the use of locally produced edutainment films in the fight against HIV in Suriname and the wider Caribbean. Project supporters are now considering distributing the film for use throughout the Caribbean, making it available for classroom and other educational uses. They are also developing a teaching kit for school teachers and community leaders. A follow-up series is under consideration for Caribbean-wide distribution.

The Canadian International Development Agency and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation were cosponsors of the film project with PAHO.