Killing Patient Zero

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Killing Patient Zero

2019

1h 40m

Documentary

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13 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

After the Stonewall riots and at the height of the gay liberation movement in America, an entire generation were busy celebrating their newfound emancipation, unaware of an impending epidemic. A disease that seemed determined to wipe out an entire generation of gay men, was largely ignored by politicians and the mainstream media. Gaetan Dugas was a French-Canadian flight attendant, who offered to help early scientific research into the origins of AIDS. An unfortunate series of events followed and he would be vilified as Patient Zero, the man who gave us AIDS.

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Stephen Rodrick

Globe and Mail

Lynd has restored Dugas to imperfect flesh and blood. That is achievement enough.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 24, 2019

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Frank Scheck

The Hollywood Reporter

Although Killing Patient Zero clearly sets out to clean up Dugas' reputation, it also presents a complex portrait of a man whose behavior was self-destructive and dangerous.

May 9, 2019

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Jason Adams

My New Plaid Pants

The doc shreds the very idea of a "patient zero" down to nothing, down to the conceptual gibberish it always was

Jul 6, 2021

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Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

Writer/director Laurie Lynd does a good job of bridging the gap between LGBTQ and straight audiences.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 26, 2020

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

[It] spends too much time on the generalities of gay life before and during the AIDS era for viewers already familiar with that history. But it's still a valuable footnote that revises the (until now) widely accepted account.

Sep 18, 2020

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Jack King

AwardsWatch

The film ends with a touching eulogy for Dugas, whose legacy is at least partially corrected. But there is the feeling, somewhat, that for Killing Patient Zero to be engaging is predicated by prior interest.

Rated: B-

Sep 9, 2020

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Audience Member

This Doc. was so heartfelt, should be required for educational purposes.. I lived in NYC 82-90, and remember the horror of the GOPs/Reagan era. What a scum bag of a leader to have had been SAG Union President in the Entertainment Industry, bested with Rock Hudson and other actors who were gay, and to turn on them. Which is what they did. To me that's treason, and Anti-American. These people died a very painful and lonely death because of our US Government that got it so wrong. The lack of decency. And the religious right who always gets it wrong. I lost many friends to that war. The Right is still wrong, and the church still sick. Time to wake up is far over due.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

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Audience Member

The film starts with the most real view I have yet seen of what it was like growing up gay in the 60s and 70s. This film is a living document and is more about the internalised homophobia that anyone of this generation has. It's built around the demonisation of poor Gaetan Dugas who becomes a symbol of how AIDs was used to demonise all gays and how we stupidly but understandably went along with this. Anyone who wants to really understand what it was like watch this film that beautifully combines the micro and macro experience. Only fault? Treaded too lightly on Randy!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

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Laurie Lynd

Director

Laurie Lynd

Screenwriter

Corey Russell

Producer

Paul Steinberg

Cinematographer

Trevor Ambrose

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Synopsis

After the Stonewall riots and at the height of the gay liberation movement in America, an entire generation were busy celebrating their newfound emancipation, unaware of an impending epidemic. A disease that seemed determined to wipe out an entire generation of gay men, was largely ignored by politicians and the mainstream media. Gaetan Dugas was a French-Canadian flight attendant, who offered to help early scientific research into the origins of AIDS. An unfortunate series of events followed and he would be vilified as Patient Zero, the man who gave us AIDS.

Director: Laurie Lynd
Producer: Corey Russell
Screenwriter: Laurie Lynd
Production Co: Fadoo Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 9, 2021
Runtime: 1h 40m

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