What it’s about
After he was diagnosed with AIDS, former UCLA film professor Tom Joslin began this tremendously moving video diary, which documents his life with Mark Massi, Joslin's beloved partner of 22 years who also suffers from the disease. With jovial wit and complete candor, these men bravely cope with health and body issues, conflicts with Joslin's New England family, and the pressure of knowing death is inevitable — and fast approaching.
Why we love it
Painful yet powerfully rewarding, this award-winning feature remains one of the most affecting films ever made about the AIDS epidemic. Through all the ignominious hospital visits, therapy sessions and alternative-medicine treatments, Mark and Tom's profound love for each other shines so brightly that their bond, even in illness, become a celebration of life itself. Joslin did not live to finish the film, so Joslin's editor and former student Friedman helms the story's second half, bearing witness to his mentor's life and legacy as well as Mark's remarkable resilience and courage in the aftermath of loss. “Life” is an intensely intimate experience worth seeing and sharing.