UNA, George Lindsey UNA Film Festival and AIDS Action Coalition to Host Screening of Documentary “Story of a Girl”
Feb. 5, 2015
Bryan Rachal, University Communications
FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama in conjunction with the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival and the AIDS Action Coalition, will offer a screening of the documentary project “Story of a Girl.” The event will take place, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015, at 7 p.m., in the screening room of the UNA Communications building located on North Pine Street in Florence.
“Story of a Girl” is a documentary project that explores the HIV epidemic through storytelling. The project expresses the humanity of the issue in a way that cannot be found in data, journals or charts. The stories focus on the people behind the epidemic and the individual battles fought every day, not the disease.
Jonathan Smith, epidemiologist at Yale University School of Medicine and Director of the “Story of a Girl” project, said people shouldn’t expect to see stories about disease, “rather stories about life, family and community. The stories should make you laugh, make you smile and make you realize that HIV doesn’t change who a person is. The entire project was created to show that people are not defined by their illness. So unlike most stories of HIV, we look at how the disease fits into the individual’s broader context of life, rather than view the individual through the prism of disease,” he said.
Following the screening, filmmakers Jonathan and Alan Smith will be available for a Q&A session along with highly-acclaimed award-winning HIV education activist and blogger, Josh Robbins, of imstilljosh.com.
This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, but reservations are recommended. To secure a seat or for more information: Kevin McDonald at 256-536-4700 ext. 125.
THE AIDS ACTION COALITION
The AIDS Action Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located at 600 St. Clair Ave. Building 6, Suite 14 Huntsville, Ala. 35801. The mission of the AIDS Action Coalition is to stop the spread of HIV & AIDS in the 12 counties of North Alabama and care for people and families living with the disease. With clinics in Huntsville and Florence, AAC provides free HIV testing, prevention and education programs, housing assistance, substance abuse treatment, medical treatment and supportive care to its clients regardless of their ability to pay. For more information about the AIDS Action Coalition please visit www.aidsactioncoalition.org.