The Film

Thai Women: Challenging AIDS is a passionate 10 minute short documentary film by Narumol Sriyanond Bartone, that interweaves personal stories of Northern Thai women with HIV/AIDS, who use their creative and spiritual strength to challenge the societal stigma of the disease.

An engaging profile of courage in the face of AIDS, Thai Women: Challenging AIDS interweaves the stories of three Northern Thai women as they struggle with stigma and society’s expectations.  The film explores each woman’s creative and spiritual path toward healing.

 

We connect the women’s lives on a journey from the mountains to the villages of Northern Thailand.  Nita, from Lahu Hill Tribe, was kidnapped as a child and sold into prostitution.  She contracted AIDS as an adult prostitute.  Now a farmer, she uses AIDS medicines and herbs to heal herself.  Jittra, an artist, derives inner strength by making ritual objects and selling crafts.  Widow Bua hopes to pass along her family’s traditions to her daughter before she dies.

 

Rather than become isolated, these women connect with an informal network of medical care, psychological counseling and spiritual guidance to rise above adversity and make their own choice of healing paths.

Bua: “I asked my daughter if she could accept me if I have HIV. My daughter said that she would accept me and always love me.
I only go on living because of my daughter. I try to be strong each day for my daughter.”

Jittra: “To ease the pain, I began to think about my artwork as a way to calm myself down. While working with my hands, making images of the
Buddha and ritual objects, I was able to stay in a meditative state and forget my problems.”

Nita: “You can go through it no matter what people say...if you care about your children and your parents, no disease can harm you.”