Killing Patient Zero is a documentary film directed by Laurie Lynd. The film delves into the history of the AIDS epidemic and how it was initially spread in North America. The movie chronicles the life of Gaetan Dugas, a French-Canadian flight attendant who was mistakenly dubbed as “patient zero” by the media during the early years of the epidemic. The film provides an in-depth look at how Dugas’ reputation was unfairly tarnished due to homophobia which gripped America during the 1980s.
The movie features interviews with various people who had close connections with Gaetan Dugas, including his partner, friends, colleagues, medical experts, historians, and journalists. Through these interviews, the viewers get to understand the life of Dugas and how he was singled out as the primary suspect for spreading the disease.
The film also features archival footage from the era, including news clips, interviews with politicians, and public health announcements. This footage helps to contextualize the fear and insecurity that people felt during this time and how AIDS became a political issue in America.
Throughout the film, the viewer is struck by how Dugas’ personal life was relentlessly scrutinized and how the media portrayed him as an emblem of all that was wrong with the gay community at the time. Killing Patient Zero is a powerful documentary that skillfully unpacks the homophobic hysteria surrounding AIDS in the 1980s and provides a corrective narrative to the way Dugas’ legacy was portrayed in the media.
