The African Film Festival is underway, and the list of films on the roster will impress any avid movie buff. It runs through May 31st so there is plenty of time to dive in and get your ultimate viewing pleasure. Most of the films will be shown at the Walter Reade Theater of Lincoln Center and at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Rose Cinemas. One of the films that has stood out for me so far is "Thembi", the story of the South African girl who contracted AIDS at the age of 19 through unprotected sex with an ex-boyfriend and became the voice and face of the disease both at home and abroad. Her determination to not just become a statistic but to use her misfortune as an opportunity to spread the word and prove that life didn't have to end after such a devastating diagnosis, gave her the license to travel the world and educate teenagers about the consequences of not taking necessary precautions when it comes to having unprotected sex. She ended up having a daughter with her long time boyfriend and thankfully the baby tested negative for the virus. But despite Thembi's spirited approach to life she eventually fell ill with Resistant Tuberculosis and passed away at the age of 24 in 2009. Her story is both touching and inspirational. Hopefully her legacy will continue to live on.
No comments:
Post a Comment