INSIDE STORY: The Science of HIV and AIDS

INSIDE STORY tells the story of Kalu, a rising Kenyan footballer, who moves from rural Kenya to urban Johannesburg to follow his dream and support his family. His path becomes more challenging when he falls in love with the coach’s daughter Ify and subsequently finds out he is HIV-positive.  Kalu goes through an emotional journey as he comes to terms with his diagnosis, encountering social and financial challenges along the way. Using state-of-the-art animation, INSIDE STORY explores the dynamic inner world of the human body, revealing the unseen world of HIV. Animated sequences showing the HIV virus traveling through the human body at different stages of the infection are interwoven with Kalu’s story.

The film offers audiences an unforgettable experience – for many, a first look inside the human body, and a window into how the immune system, HIV, and antiretroviral therapies work. INSIDE STORY demonstrates the science of how HIV works in a personal, practical, and memorable way and is used as an intervention tool that allows viewers to make informed health decisions by demystifying the virus.

USAID, in partnership with Management Sciences for Health’s Building Local Capacity for Delivery of HIV Services in Southern Africa Project (BLC) helped to fund and support the production. INSIDE STORY was produced by South Africa based, Quizzical Pictures in partnership with Discovery Learning Alliance (DLA). INSIDE STORY has been broadcast in 37 countries and is available in over 200 million homes across Africa and globally. The film is an exciting and entertaining new HIV intervention tool with a solutions oriented lens that shows the epidemic’s complexity to a wide audience.

BLC worked closely with Discovery Learning Alliance (DLA), managing USAID funds and providing technical input. BLC served on the film’s advisory board to give scientific, cultural, and artistic direction, and reviewed the script to ensure accuracy in the scientific representation of the virus, and the script’s relevance to African audiences. Many thanks to partners such as Chevron, Access Bank, Discovery Communications, SEACOM, PEPFAR and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Host a Screening

All over Africa, people are helping spread the word about Inside Story by hosting screenings with their family, friends, coworkers or community. Screenings come in all shapes and sizes: living rooms, churches, schools, or community centers.

Visit InsideStorytheMovie.org to see options for free streaming (wordwide) and downloading (outside of the U.S. only), or to purchase a digital copy of the film (U.S. only). A facilitator’s guide is now available for download.