KILLING PATIENT ZERO

US, 2019, 100 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Laurie Lynd.


In the 1980s, Canadian flight attendant, Gaetan Dugas, was named as Patient Zero, and held responsible for the spread of HIV AIDS.

This documentary is a 21st-century look back at the origins of AIDS, initial reactions, medical investigations, journalistic exposes, Randy Shilts and the writing of And The Band Played On.

There is a great deal of film and video footage from the past, highlighting the rather carefree hedonism of the 1970s, the initial aspects of AIDS, medical investigations, the late response of the Reagan government, homophobic attacks. It opens with an American television show of the 1960s expressing these homophobic aspects.

However, there is quite a number of talking heads, a number of flight attendants from Air Canada for which Gaetan Dugas worked, filling in his biography including photos and clips from Dugas himself. It is an opportunity for those speaking to review what happened in the 70s and 80s and the consequences for their lives.

It is made clear in the documentary that a mistake was made in interpreting medical data and statistics during the 1980s and Gaetan Dugas was referred to as patient O in reference to the spread of AIDS rather than Patient 0. Dugas himself did not believe in the epidemic but contributed data and consultations with the investigations and research.

1. The title and expectations? An AIDS film?

2. The film as a resume of the history of the AIDS epidemic? 21st-century perspective?

3. The inclusion of footage, the perspectives of the 1970s and sexual freedom, the oncoming of AIDS, the visual impact?

4. The range of talking heads, the stewards from Air Canada? Journalists? Members from the arts and theatre? Their own experience, gay orientation, the 1970s and change, the 1980s?

5. The 1980s, the naming of Patient Zero, portrait of Gaetan Dugas, his life and background, the range of photos, video clips? The media blaming him for being patient zero? The condemnation? His life, family, work, travel, sexual partners, the diagrams indicating the spread of AIDS? His not believing in the epidemic? But his willingness to help and give information?

6. The health experts, the medical background, the personal background, the interviews with those with AIDS, Gaetan and his collaboration? The graphs? The O being interpreted as 0? The consequences of this misinterpretation?

7. The background of the 1970s, hedonistic lifestyles and the consequences?

8. The early years of the 1980s, medication, investigations, research?

9. Randy Shiltz, his reporting, critique of Patient 0? And The Band Played On and its impact?

10. Authorities, the Reagan administration, initial denial? Celebrities like Rock Hudson?

11. The explanation of the symptoms, the spread during the 1980s? The many deaths in grief?

12. The role of the media and public consciousness in the 1980s? 1990s?

13. The background of the opening of the film, American television programs of the 60s, homophobic? The role of the law? Changes?

14. A contributing blueprint to understanding epidemics?