The Films

The films of the Scenarios from Africa collection are based on ideas written by talented young people in international contests. Those ideas are brought to life by the continent’s most celebrated filmmakers, who turn to some of Africa’s finest actors, cinema technicians and musicians to craft the films.

Now available in over 25 languages, the films are effective at generating dialogue and personal reflection about AIDS; improving attitudes towards those most affected by the epidemic and so helping to combat stigma and discrimination; and encouraging people to protect themselves from infection. The films are highly valued by broadcasters, NGOs and CBOs, schools and businesses across the continent and beyond. And their popularity on the Web is skyrocketing.

Scenarios from Africa produces an average of 3 films per year, focusing on the ever-evolving communications needs of the AIDS-response community. The films are between 2 and 17 minutes long, and they vary widely in their artistic styles and tones. Some are comedies; others are profoundly moving.

Throughout the production process, the Scenarios team bears in mind the following guiding principles:

• People living with HIV/AIDS must always be portrayed in a positive light and with dignity.
• The goal of encouraging safe behaviors to avoid the virus must not be pursued at the expense of fostering optimism and joy of life among people living with HIV, and vice-versa.
• The films must help individuals and communities to address and overcome relevant gender inequities and prejudice. However, the films must not cause a harmful backlash.
• The films demonstrate the Scenarios team’s faith in local communities to identify, explore and resolve their own priority HIV-related issues, in their own way. The films are not didactic, message-delivery tools, but rather triggers for reflection and dialogue.
• The Scenarios marriage between the AIDS-response community and the world of cinema must be maintained, even deepened, throughout the production process.
• Just as a lot of good can be done with a well-crafted film on HIV/AIDS, serious damage can be caused if one doesn’t take all necessary precautions before a film on the subject is shot and released. It is for these reasons that the Scenarios team places special emphasis on exhaustively testing and evaluating draft film scripts.

The RESOURCES section of this website contains several documents for those interested in using the Scenarios films in their work, including users’ guides and a one-page Excel table showing all the films’ titles and the HIV-related topics covered in each.