Film raises empathy and awareness for youths with virus

When two brothers long separated by time and circumstance finally reunited, they uncovered a family secret buried for years: their mother had died of AIDS.The older brother was born with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, while the younger one, born after the introduction of preventive measures, was born healthy.

The older brother, who had once been given just three years to live, defied expectations and now lives a life many believed was impossible for someone with HIV, and even attended university. He is currently supported by the AIDS Prevention Education Project for Chinese Youth, a nonprofit organization launched in 2006, through which he regularly receives free medicine.

The brothers' personal story is the core narrative of Love Youth, a film that breaks decades of silence, boldly bringing youth-oriented HIV education and sexual health awareness to the big screen, aiming to change public perception and foster a better understanding of the disease.

China reported its first case of AIDS in 1985. As of December 2025, nearly 1.4 million people are living with HIV in China, with young people accounting for a rising proportion of cases.

Premiering nationwide just ahead of this year's World AIDS Day on Dec 1, the film tells how China has been supporting young people living with HIV through national public welfare programs like APEPCY.

The theme of China's World AIDS Day this year calls for united societal efforts to prevent HIV, urging innovation in preventive measures and public awareness.

The film itself marks a pioneering effort in China's AIDS awareness campaign, with its entire cast and crew volunteering their time.

Among the many projects supported by APEPCY is the Linfen Red Ribbon School in North China's Shanxi province — the only institution in China dedicated to children living with HIV.

The film draws inspiration from a real-life story that unfolded at the school.

Reflecting on a time when AIDS loomed like a terrifying specter and was barely spoken of, Wang Xia, the school's principal, says,"The mere mention of the word 'AIDS' made people recoil.

"But today, with medical breakthroughs and a more understanding and accepting society, China has made a remarkable jump forward,"Wang observes.

The overall prevalence of AIDS is kept at a low level in China, with transmission through blood transfusion largely curbed, and mother-to-child and needle-syringe transmission effectively controlled, according to the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration.

Over the past two decades, the school has cared for 127 HIV-positive children from 14 provinces nationwide.

Today, 65 of its former students are employed, and some have even started families. Through advances in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, young women have had healthy children, ending the generational cycle of HIV.

Guo Xiaoping, the school's founder, called its success a miracle.

"Throughout these years, not a single child has died," he says."Now, the only difference between these children and others is that they take a pill every day."

Guo, now 62, retired as the school's principal in 2023, but continues to serve as guardian to every child under his care.

"I dream of the day when this school no longer has to exist," Guo says. "When every child with HIV can attend a regular school, and the next generation is born free of the virus, I'll know I've done all I can, and I will finally be able to retire in peace."

The film's closing words echo Guo's motto: "To protect our own children, we must also protect all children."

In 2004, China initiated support policies for people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as their families, including the provision of medications and living assistance. Orphans of deceased AIDS patients also receive free education under these policies.

According to the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, over 95 percent of people diagnosed with HIV in China are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy, and over 95 percent of those on treatment have reached viral load suppression.

Han Mengjie, chief expert in AIDS prevention at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, notes that without an effective HIV vaccine available, education remains the "social vaccine" in the battle against the virus.

Zhang Yinjun, the film's chief production planner, explains that the real challenge in HIV education for young people today isn't that the topic is untouched, but the deep structural silence surrounding it.

"Sexual health and HIV prevention have long been overlooked in families, schools and society. People tend not to talk about these things directly," Zhang says.

She notes that this avoidance makes it more challenging to share vital knowledge effectively; thus, young people are less likely to fully develop the understanding and habits they need to protect themselves.

"Ending HIV/AIDS isn't just about medicine and testing; it's about creating a culture of understanding, acceptance, and love,"Zhang adds.

Xinhua