Documentary On Hiv Epidemic In Africanamerican Population To Be Featured @ San Diego Black Film Fest

Jan. 29, 2013 - PRLog -- Dream Factory

FOR IMMEMDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brittany Wyatt: 757-320-8180

DOCUMENTARY ON HIV EPIDEMIC IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION TO BE FEATUREDBY SAN DIEGO BLACK FILM FESTIVAL

Thirteen Percent – a new documentary that investigates the dynamics driving the epidemic spread of HIV among African-Americans – will debut Feb. 2 at the San Diego Black Film Festival. The 11th annual festival is being held in conjunction with the start of Black History Month, and Thirteen Percent is one of more than 100 films to be showcased that focus on the African-American experience.

“It is shocking that African-Americans – 13 percent of the U.S. population – now account for 50 percent of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses,” says Art Jones, DC filmmaker and director of the documentary. “With this film, my team exposes the social, economic and political forces that are driving this growth, then explores how they can be reversed. It is possible to halt this epidemic if we just start the conversation.”

Jones will lead a discussion following the showing of the documentary at 1 p.m., Sat., Feb. 2, in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter Cinema, 701 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 9210. You can purchase tickets for the screening of the film via the SBDFF website at http://www.sdbff.com/festival-at-a-glance_saturday.html.

Thirteen Percent (2012, 87 minutes) was produced by Jones and Virginia communications specialist Pam Bailey. It has been acquired by ASPiRE, Magic Johnson's new cable network, for domestic distribution and RT for international. The trailer can be viewed at the film website, 13percentmovie.com (alternatively on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHuFCwYON8w).



The film includes interviews with trailblazers such as Pastor Rainey Cheeks of Inner Light Ministries; Daniel Montoya of the National AIDS Minority Council; Pernessa Seele, founder of Balm In Gilead; and DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, along with a variety of individuals who are living with HIV.