120 BPM

120 Battements Par Minute is the film of the ‘rentrée’. After winning the ‘Grand Prix’ at Cannes 2017, it came out on French screens a few weeks ago and has been winning audiences’ hearts since. It will be shown at the London Film Festival   on October 7th and 10th.

Set in Paris in the early 90’s at the height of the Aids epidemic, it follows the lives, loves, clubbing sessions and deaths of a group of activists from Act Up Paris in their fight against the virus.

Watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=114&v=ai2WhkTWfKM

Read an article by Didier Lestrade (co-founder of Act Up Paris) on the importance of House music in Act Up’s fight.

Listen to a 90’s House mixtape by Arnaud Rebotini, who also composed the soundtrack of the film.

Act Up activism vocabulary
Silence :silence
Mort :death Mourrir : to die
Sida : Aids
Agir : to act
Action : action
Combat : fight
Sang : Blood
Préservatif or capote (slang) : condom
Colère : anger
Vie : life
Pouvoir : power