When danger threatens we all seek a safe place. In its long history, Provincetown as a community has provided that protection many times for many people.

In 1981 like a dark storm of immense proportions, the AIDS epidemic swept across the country and the world.
This project is the story of one community's struggle to successfully open its arms and heart to care for those dying of the disease. Through the 80s and 90s the entire community faced its fears and became a leader in providing compassionate care. We need your help to tell this story of tragedy, courage and determination told through the words of those who lived through it.

Thirty people have been interviewed and archival video, photos, flyers and magazines have been collected from individuals and organizations. An important part of this project will be to create permanent public archives of all this material. The archives and entire interviews will be  available on the town website and at the Library.  The 90 minute documentary and the archives are of great historical and educational value.  The epidemic continues today, with 50,000 new cases a year in the U.S. 

We hope that telling this powerful Provincetown story will help in the fight to change  the HIV/AIDS landscape. We have completed a 90 minute rough draft of all the interviews. We now need funds to scan and digitize all the archival material and edit it into the film. We will also produce a 45 min. version for use in schools. This project has been a collaboration of many individuals, the AIDS Support Group, the Provincetown Library and the Provincetown History Website.

Producers Jimmy Rann and Pasquale Natale are local artists who are long term AIDS survivors, past board members of the AIDS Support Group and were activists in the Provincetown Positive PWA coaltion. Filmmaker Catherine Russo has won international and national awards for her documentaries.

Help us preserve and tell an important chapter in local history. The 5 minute video clip presented here shows just some of the people interviewed. You can imagine it with the archival material inserted.