Diveena Cooppan's POSITIVELY BEAUTIFUL tells the story of five South Africans living with HIV. The film chronicles the lives of Ntuthu, Nomfundo, Thembi, Khaya and Zanana, who were ironically united by something that would normally have ostracised them from others. The documentary takes us through their experiences as people living with the deadly virus.



Cooppan gives an all-encompassing account of the virus and its effects. We are given first-hand knowledge through her subjects and their loved ones; a narrator and experts who explain and dispel myths about HIV with facts and trips down memory lane. The prejudices, stigma and rejection that accompany the virus stare us in the face throughout the documentary's 63 minutes. However, she deftly deflects attention from an otherwise depressing theme to the unlikely but solid friendship her five subjects share and also ensures that the country's sights and sounds are beautifully incorporated into her story.

Through her work, Cooppan is able to prove that life does not end with a HIV-positive diagnosis. The stories of triumph told by the five protagonists reveal the struggles of living with the virus in an evolving society and also the possibility of surmounting adversity to continue living successful lives despite harbouring the virus.

by Adefoyeke Ajao