The poignant The Normal Heart is a look back at the AIDS crisis that erupted in the early 1980s – when virtually nothing was known about this mysterious disease, and fear led to an increase in homophobia. This Emmy-winning HBO film is based on the play of the same title from 1985 by AIDS activist Larry Kramer.
The character Ned Weeks (Mark Ruffalo), an openly homosexual writer, is his alter ego. Weeks is surprised by the reserved reactions of doctors, hospitals and the government to the AIDS epidemic, which has caused many casualties among Weeks’ friends. President Reagan dismisses it as a ‘gay cancer’ and it appears that nothing will be done about it, much to Weeks’s fury: ‘Why are they letting us die?’
He resists this who-gives-a-shit-if-a-faggot-drops dead morality and becomes an influential AIDS activist, in spite of rubbing many people the wrong way. With supporting roles for Julia Roberts, Taylor Kitsch and Alfred Molina.
Film details
- Country of production
- USA
- Year
- 2014
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2015
- Length
- 132'
- Medium/Format
- File
