New York City
LGBT New Festival
Promotes AIDS Denialism.

 
The  NEW FESTIVAL screens AIDS Denialist ^* Film   (AGAIN)   

   from the 2004 New Festival Catalog  

These AIDS denialist screenings are a promotion and trend by this Film Festival. The despicable naiveté and negect of this Film Festival does nothing to help our communities in the fight against AIDS.   HIV BUDDING FROM CELL >> ..   from the Director of the New Festival, Basil Tsiokos "We show films that reflect a diverse range of opinions of the LGBT community. The festival doesn't endorse the viewpoints of the filmmakers whose works it shows, it merely presents them to an audience to encourage discussion. "NewFest does not necessarily endorse the viewpoints of any of the films which we screen. We feel it is important to provide our audiences with the chance to see the different kinds of works that are being produced that have an impact on LGBT lives - whether positive or negative. Merely ignoring works or opinions one doesn't agree with doesn't make them go away after all. Our audiences are given the opportunity to see films on a wide range of topics and, when possible, to engage with the filmmakers - to challenge, praise, or correct them for the work they have made. We provide a platform for debate and discussion. You clearly hold a strong opinion and much knowledge about some of the topics addressed in The Other Side of AIDS, and you are welcome to attend the screening and debate your points with the director. Our programming will remain exactly as it is scheduled."
It is a naïve (or disingenuous) statement to say:      "The festival doesn't endorse the viewpoints of the filmmakers whose works it shows,      it merely presents them to an audience to encourage discussion." The Film Festival is a community event and it is perceived as endorsing the viewpoints unless it specifically says it doesn't or contextualizes them in some way.  The New Festival shows lots of gay marriage films because they're easy to find and have an audience.  AIDS films don't have an audience and are harder to find. This is falling back on the flaccid sense of democracy. That's not acceptable as a defense. It is not a matter of positive or negative: it is a matter of horrific and potentially lethal misinformation, no less than a movie about how to kill Matthew Shepard would be. Calling it "healthy scientific skepticism" is simply untrue in such a profound way as to be breathtaking. This is sheer lack of conscience, inept programming, despicable and maniacal denialism.

 
 AIDS Denialist programming is wrong programming,
 and bad for our communities.

 New Festival Director Basil Tsiokos :  basil@newfestival.org