06 Oct

20:00

Kinepolis Jaarbeurs Utrecht

Jaarbeursboulevard 300, 3521 BC Utrecht, Utrecht

A special screening of the film 'Downtown', preceded by a talk from the Aidsfonds about the history and current state of HIV and AIDS.

Film 'Downtown' (UQCF Special)

More info & tickets

Pre-Screening Talk

This special screening of Downtown is organized in collaboration with Kinepolis. Before the film, Wouter Huijser from the Aidsfonds will take us through the story of HIV and AIDS. From the early years of the epidemic, where fear, stigma, and exclusion played a major role, to the situation today. Much has changed: HIV is now well-treatable, and people on effective treatment can no longer transmit the virus. Yet, stigma, inequality, and limited access to prevention and care are still a reality worldwide. Wouter looks back and forward: what can we learn from history, and what can we do ourselves to contribute to a world without HIV and AIDS?

About the Film

Amsterdam, 1986. In the flamboyant nightclub Downtown, Ronnie, Lennart, and Bas seem untouchable. Their close friendship revolves around nights of freedom, desire, and excess, against the backdrop of a city in constant motion. But when the first rumors of AIDS begin to circulate, the atmosphere within their world slowly changes. While Ronnie cautiously tries to look ahead, Lennart and Bas cling to a life that seems endless—until Bas suddenly disappears without a trace. More than thirty years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ronnie unexpectedly sees Bas again on the metro. He decides to organize a dinner where Lennart also joins, their first meeting in years.

Actors: Roeland Fernhout, Hans Kesting, Yorick van Wageningen
Director: Michiel van Erp
Language: Dutch (No subtitles)