How to Survive a Plague
2012 · Movie · NR · 109 min · ★ 6.8 · 92% critics
This documentary follows grassroots activists during the AIDS crisis as they organize protests, challenge government and industry delays, and teach themselves enough science to push promising treatments toward patients faster. It captures both the urgency of the moment and the community effort behind a major public health turning point.
Where to watch
Streaming on AMC+, Sundance Now and MUBI.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 2012
- Release date
- 2012-09-21
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Critic score
- 92/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.8/10 (79 votes)
About
You’ll likely connect with this if you want an urgent, moving documentary about activism, public health, and community resilience, especially if you liked Before Stonewall or Welcome to Chechnya; Not for you if constant confrontation and heartbreaking material wear you down.
Pros: inspiring real-life activism; powerful emotional stories; historically important | Cons: repetitive protest footage; narrow focus; limited treatment detail
Themes
- aids
- hiv
- lgbt
- activist
- gay history
- gay theme
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Documentary Feature Film · 2013 · nominated
Cast & crew
Peter Staley
as Self
Larry Kramer
as Self
Iris Long
as Self
Bob Rafsky
as Self
Mark Harrington
as Self
Anthony Fauci
as Self
Directed by David France