TOP AUTHORS
Gabriel GarcÌa Marquez, Margaret Atwood, John Updike,
Susan Sontag, Hanif Kureishi and Jose Saramago are among 21 writers exploring
the human stories of those touched by HIV and Aids in a new book Telling Tales.
All the writers have contributed their stories free of charge towards the
fight against the pandemic disease from which no country, no individual, is
safely isolated.
Compiled by Nadine Gordimer, this anthology looks at the impact of the virus
on different continents and cultures through a mix of drama, fantasy, satire
and even comedy.
Telling Tales is realeased by Bloomsbury Publishing, £7.99, to coincide
with World Aids Day. Details on 020 7494 2111.
Pan-sexual teens GET RAW
‘Gregg
Araki's gritty indie flick Totally F***ed Up is the latest DVD release from
Millivres. The director of The Living End chronicles the lives of six disenfranchised
pan-sexual teens in early 1990s LA - the 'alienation capital' of the world.
This 1993 film is the third in Araki's experimental series dealing with teen
angst and anarchy, which includes The Doom Generation (1995) and Nowhere (1997).
Cut into a raw, semi-documentary style the protagonists discuss their views
on Aids, sexuality, relationships, suicide and the uncertain awfulness of
life in pre-HAART therapy times.
Punctuated with TV clips, captions and flickering video footage Totally F***ed
Up is a grim and at times annoyingly fragmented look at circular young lives
existing with no money, no hope and little life experience.
Teenagers Andy (James Duval from Donnie Darko), Tommy, Tricia, Michelle, Deric
and Steven make glib proclamations to camera, in which we learn not all gay
teens are into disco and drag shows. We also learn from them that ‘life
is shit' and that Aids is a ‘born-again-republican-Nazi dream come true',
which will go down in history as ''one of the worst holocausts ever’.
However, the film fails to puncture their ultra-cool veneers to find out what
actually makes them actually tick, which makes for an unfulfilling experience.
The pill-popping characters may be streetwise in some senses, but in many
ways they remain painfully naïve. It's clear these teens haven't fully
explored what they like to do in bed yet, so their barely formed observations
about the pivotal times that they inhabited seem far from penetrating.
Totally F***ed Up, Millivres. £19.99. www.millivresmultimedia.com
Screencares shows Priscilla
Star
of film and musical theatre John Barrowman (De Lovely, Chicago) is
to host an exclusive screening of his favourite film for Screencares - a glittering
one-off World Aids Day Crusaid London benefit on 1 December. Barrowman will
be on hand to introduce his film selection Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
at London's Vue Cinema in Leicester Square, and afterwards there'll be discussion,
drinks and canapés.
This year the UNAIDS theme of women and children has highlighted the real
and urgent work needed to help the millions of women and children at the centre
of the epidemic. Robin Brady, Crusaid's chief executive commented: “HIV
and Aids is an issue for everyone, everywhere. The need here in the UK is
urgent and real and more funding is required to tackle the rising levels of
new diagnoses in Britain.
“Greater awareness and education is needed if we are to make a real
long-term difference. The Screencares screening is as much a celebration of
life as a chance to raise funds to continue our vital work across Britain
and the world."
Tickets for the event cost £15. To reserve a place call 020 7539 3894
or email events@crusaid.org.uk
A sizzling parade of top club DJs will be performing at this
year’s Red Ribbon Ball.
This well-loved, not-to-be-missed World Aids Day fundraiser will take place
on Friday 3 December at Super Club Colosseum, Vauxhall.
The party, an established part of clubland’s calendar, brings together
London’s top DJs from Orange, Beyond, Crash, DNA, Detox and Bootylicious.
The night features funky house, commercial handbag, R&B and go-go dancers
from Mark Tyme plus PAs.
The DJ line-up this year includes Steve Pitron, The Oli, Gonzalo, Brent Nicholls.
Wayne G was still to be confirmed as PN went to press.
Tickets, £10, are available from Clone Zone, Prowler, Trax and the Box
and from the UKC online. £12 on the door. Tickets include free entry
to a prize draw with a top prize of a seven day holiday in Gran Canaria.
SeeU.com will also be using the ocasion to stage the first Annual Unity awards.
Log on to www.seeU.out.com to vote for your favourite DJ, club and venue.
All proceeds go to UKC. www.ukcoalition.org
