Perspective Film Series: 120 battements par minute (2017)

Perspective Film Series:

120 battements par minute (2017), dir. Robin Campillo

August 25 | 5:30 PM

Robin Compillo’s 120 battements par minute (2017) paints a poignant picture of the activism of ACT UP Paris during the 1990s AIDS epidemic. The film interweaves personal stories with collective action as the group campaigns for better treatment and visibility of HIV patients, highlighting the urgency of their fight against government indifference and pharmaceutical corruption. At its core, 120 battements par minute speaks to the power of activism and solidarity in the face of health and social crises, laying bare the emotional and physical toll of advocacy, while also celebrating the resilience and community spirit of those involved.

This film is French with English subtitles.

This Perspective screening is programmed in partnership with SafeLink Alberta. A moderated conversation and Q&A on HIV prevention and advocacy will be held after the screening.

Disclaimer: This film contains difficult subject matter and imagery, including strong sexual content and nudity, which may be triggering for some viewers.

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The 2024 edition of Perspective is curated by Muriel N. Kahwagi, Assistant Curator at Contemporary Calgary. The series will feature monthly screenings that amplify voices from the Global South, deconstructing broader moving-image practices through an anti-colonial framework. In particular, this year's Perspective will focus on filmic works from the Caucasus, as well as Southwest Asia and North Africa, a region that continues to grapple with the enduring legacies of colonial violence.