Thembi

At present in the Republic of South Africa, there are more than five million people with AIDS. Most of them don't want to talk about their illness. These people are convinced that their life lost its purpose the moment they were diagnosed as HIV-positive. This, however, does not apply to the young African girl Thembi, who has indomitable energy, a forthright nature and a sense of humour. Above all, she possesses the determination to try and scale the wall of silence that surrounds this illness in her country. Thembi fell ill at 16 years of age, and she succumbed to her illness eight years later. During that period, however, she did not remain idle, but decided to acquaint the largest possible number of people with her story. Within the scope of a "lecture tour" on life with AIDS, she travelled to countless schools, met an American president, and addressed parliament. Her story reached fifty million listeners via public radio in the USA, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. This lively portrait of an absolutely open and admirably energetic girl, who managed to have a boyfriend and child despite her illness, is interlaced with successful animation sequences. Despite her boundless energy and herculean courage, Thembi was all too human. Her desire to live, love and leave behind a legacy didn't make her any less susceptible to insecurity, social pressure, exhaustion and the vagaries of being a celebrity. (One World)