Schweigen = Tod

Rosa von Praunheims dedicates part 1 of his AIDS trilogy to the key figures of the New York art scene such as Allen Ginsburg, David Wojnarowicz or the painter Keith Haring, who died of AIDS. The film focuses on artists who fight for AIDS education and the rights of infected and diseased people. With a gentle yet demanding interview technique, he moves his interviewees to self-expression. Praunheim's documentary significantly influenced the academic and socio-political discourse on HIV/AIDS in the United States. "Von Praunheim is exactly the right man for the job he took on with the films SILENCE = DEATH and POSITIVE: He has the vision, the compassion, the toughness and, yes, the humor needed to make the AIDS epidemic more bearable." (Los Angeles Times)