PEDRO

US, 2008, 90 minutes, Colour.
Alex Loynaz, Justina Machado, Hale Appleman, Matt Barr, Da Juan Johnson.
Directed by Nick Oceano.

Cuban-born Pedro Zamora was an activist in the early 1990s helping to make Americans more conscious about the reality of (and the public phobias and ignorance about ) living with HIV/AIDS. He died in 1994 at the age of 22.

Since the acclaim for Milk, its writer Dustin Lance Black, has received a great deal of attention. He co-wrote this story and wrote the screenplay for Pedro. As with Milk, another gay activist, this story tells the audience from the outset that its central character dies. In the light of this information, the film is able to go back to highlight the last nine months of Pedro's life as well as further flashbacks to his short life.

Alex Loynaz is pleasingly effective as Pedro, showing him as an exuberant young man, a persuasive speaker. He is most effective in the latter part of the film where Pedro is dying from a debilitating brain disease which prevents him from speaking.

Pedro, his parents, a brother and a sister were among 125,000 Cubans permitted to leave Havana in 1981. The family settled in Miami. As a teenager, Pedro became aware of his sexual orientation. He also became infected with the AIDS virus. He was urged to speak to high school students and built a reputation as a strong communicator, being appointed to committees and finally acknowledged by President Clinton. His family supported him, especially his sister Mily who became his alternate mother after his mother, whom he loved dearly, died of cancer. She is warmly played by Justina Machado.

In the last year of his life, Pedro took part in a Reality TV program, sponsored by MTV, who also produced this film. The first half of the film re-enacts many episodes of the show, enabling Pedro to explain to the housemates (one of whom, Puck, is one of the most offensively arrogant characters you are likely to meet) and to the film audience, some of the basics of AIDS and living with AIDS.

The film also re-enacts an informal union and rings ceremony between Pedro and fellow activist, Sean Sasser. As Pedro is dying, the video of the event is played for Pedro's father, brother and sister. And at the end of the film, the actual video of Pedro and his partner is shown as a tribute.

An effective and affecting portrait of a young man who decided to do something positive with his short life.

1.A film based on real people and events? Moving?

2.Audience response to HIV-AIDS? The reaction in the 80s and 90s? Later? The reality of AIDS, illness, physical and psychological effects? Being infected, transfusions, drugs, sexual encounters? The limitations of treatment? Public opinion, opposition (and religious groups demonstrating with placards, ‘God hates you’)? The 21st century and the AIDS epidemic, the final statistics at the end of the film?

3.The screenplay: information about Pedro’s death, going back nine months, the reality TV show and the episodes, the flashbacks to Pedro’s earlier life? The finale with his dying? The cumulative impact?

4.The introduction, Pedro at the hotel, the phone, the MTV producer, his collapse, the context of the memoir?

5.Pedro as a little boy, on the beach in Cuba, his mother, the Santeria rituals, the anklet, the help and the predictions about his helping others? His growing up in Cuba? 1981 and the people allowed to leave the island, at the fence, the guard, refusing to let the sons of military age go to Miami, mother and father, sister and brother and Pedro? Miami, at home? With his mother, talking about myths? The yellow dress? His father’s reaction? His mother, her cancer, the ritual of the glass of water under the bed signifying death? Her dying? Pedro’s reaction, wanting to remember her as she was? Mily and her memories, her friends, the letter, Pedro as discovering his sexual orientation, the jogging, Mily and the article, his arguments with her? At school, the infection? His wanting to give blood, the diagnosis, his sitting on the beach weeping?

6.His being urged to help, his speech to the schoolkids, his stories, frankness, the kids and their ideas of living with AIDS? The campaigns, on committees, going to Washington, San Francisco?

7.The MTV reality show in the 1990s, his agreeing to participate and live in the house, MTV and producing this film? The photographing of the young people arriving, introducing each of them, Pam, Rachel, Pedro, Judd, Mohammed? Pak and his bike? The crew being present? Pedro and his opening the album, explaining his situation to the others, Rachel and her negative reaction, Pak and his criticism? Pak and his nerves, fingers, the Nazi t-shirt, the clash with people, his asserting himself, irrespective of others, the reaction to his arrogance? The discussions with Pedro? Two divas? The vote, Pak going?

8.Pedro and Judd, their discussions, friendship, Pedro sweating in the night, Judd helping him? Pedro agreeing that the cameras could follow him to his death? The argument with Rachel? Judd and his interviews and memories? Pam and the relationship? Judd and his marriage to Pam, inheriting Pedro’s work, writing the book about him?

9.Sean, the activist, the bond between the two, the meals, the date? Pedro going out of the house to be with Sean? The ceremony of union, the rings? Replaying this for Pedro’s family before he died? The actual video shown in the end credits? Sean’s support and love for Pedro? The family not wanting him to be present? Pedro asking?

10.New York, the illness, the brain disease, the treatment, going to Miami, his not wanting the special treatment, Sean arguing with Mily? Mily and her care? The ousting of Sean, the father and the brother and their hostility? Mily and her care, bathing him, calling Sean back?

11.The phone call from President Clinton, his arranging the brothers coming from Cuba, the family reunion before Pedro’s death?

12.Pedro, unable to speak, weak, the vision of his mother, telling Mily to put the glass of water under the bed?

13. The tribute to him at the end? The replay of the real video of the ceremony? The actual photos? His achievement and influence?