"Does HIV cause AIDS? How can a virus cause a syndrome? It can't!" -South African President Thabo Mbeki, August 2000

Through six intimate and powerful portraits, State of Denial takes an unprecedented look at how the citizens of South Africa are living with the AIDS epidemic, given the climate of confusion and neglect perpetuated by President Mbeki's administration. Revealing conversations with dozens of South Africans adds context to these portraits, capturing the unbreakable spirit of a people determined to conduct their lives with dignity, grace, and humor. Producer/Director Elaine Epstein, a native South African who has worked extensively in AIDS and public health, offers a unique insider's look at the complex issues affecting the nearly five million South Africans living with HIV and AIDS. A film of quiet outrage, State of Denial weaves the personal with the political to create an uplifting portrait of ordinary people in an extraordinary struggle to survive. Sundance Film Festival, 2003

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