Fire in the Blood

“quietly devastating... the film is a testament to human decency and a damning indictment of laissez-faire capitalism.”

Philip French, THE OBSERVER/THE GUARDIAN

 

"A shocking documentary about how big Western pharmaceutical companies blocked access to low-cost anti-AIDS drugs, causing a holocaust of 10 million deaths.  Desmond Tutu, Bill Clinton and many brave activists speak out... CRITIC’S CHOICE -- ★★★★ (4 stars)"

Kate Muir, THE TIMES

 

“A film to provoke fury... it's the arrogance and greed of the drug tycoons that leaves a lingering impression, as they conspired to allow ten million to die simply so that they could maximise their profits -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

EMPIRE

 

“Brilliant... a real-life David and Goliath story... an amazing documentary and a story that really needed to be told”

Zoe Ball, BBC RADIO

 

"indispensable viewing... extremely moving... a powerful documentary that demands to be seen by as wide an audience as possible" “This is a shocking account of international trade terrorism sanctioned by Western governments.”

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

 

"incisive and damning... the film is utterly absorbing and impossible to forget -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Jeremy Aspinall, BBC RADIO TIMES

 

"there are moments of great triumph, humanity, hope, sadness, disgust and disbelief. There are very real heroes and villains. [...] Watch the film if and when you can -- ★★★★1/2 (4.5 stars out of 5)"

Mark Bell, FILM THREAT

 

“makes its case with cold, irrefutable logic...only an unthinking monster could leave the cinema unmoved and unenlightened.-- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Donald Clarke, THE IRISH TIMES

 

"[This] impassioned, persuasive film won't have trouble spreading its essential message across the fest circuit and beyond... rivetingly researched [and] with wholly universal appeal"

VARIETY

 

"stark, sobering, moving... [an] impressive film [that] hits all the right notes - intellectually and emotionally..."

SCREEN INTERNATIONAL

 

“authoritative... the film makes a damning case -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Edward Porter, THE SUNDAY TIMES

”insightful and quietly angry  -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

THE SCOTSMAN

 

“a film of great intellectual and emotional integrity that achieves everything it sets out to do”

David Parkinson, OXFORD TIMES

 

"Be prepared to be sad, angry and even outraged when you see this film… I could not help but feel my blood boil by the end of it."

Benedict Lam, THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL/ROYAL PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY

 

"powerful... unsettling... emotionally charged"

GLOBAL POLICY

 

"a blessing... full of conviction, passion and unanswerable argument”

JOHN LE CARRE

 

"a riveting documentary... dramatic, compelling, but most of all, wonderfully humane. I was enraged as I watched..."

STEPHEN LEWIS

 

“the one film that I’d put to the top of your must-see list is Fire in the Blood... you will be moved and enraged... a beautiful film to watch.”

Tom Roston, PBS DOC SOUP

 

“Fire in the Blood serves not only as a reminder of the crucial struggle for access to HIV drugs for millions of people in developing countries, but as a wake-up call for us all to keep resisting efforts by the pharmaceutical industry and some governments to cut off people’s lifelines to needed medicines.”

Dr. Gilles van Cutsem, Médecins Sans Frontières South Africa (MSF SA)

 

"a powerful exposé… a David versus Goliath tale of how an unlikely coalition of people worldwide joined forces to fight against the patent monopolies of the world's biggest pharmaceutical conglomerates"

Stephanie Bartlett, THE LANCET

 

"I rarely weep at the cinema... but I did last night. [...] The courage and determination of those who reacted with their human moral impulse in a situation where others seemed to be able to disable theirs was presented by Dylan Mohan Gray in a way that rejected sentimentalism in favour of the simplicity of normal human emotion. I’m very grateful to have seen this important film and hope that many others will do so." ★★★★★ (5 stars)

Ray Thompson, BEST FOR FILM

 

“may make your blood boil, or even put fire in your blood  -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Paddy Kehoe, RTE (Irish national broadcaster)

 

"a powerful, heartfelt and edifying debut offering from Dylan Mohan Gray -- ★★★★ (4 stars)"

Alastair McCready, CELLULOID HEROES

 

"one of the most important documentaries of the last 10 years -- ★★★★★ (5 stars)”

Lucy Cave, THE HOLLYWOOD NEWS

 

“shocking and substantial -- ★★★★” (4 stars)"

TOTAL FILM

 

“an impassioned and informative account... likely to provoke a substantial reaction in anyone who sees it... it's not just a success, but a stirring tribute to the countless people who have lost their lives when such a fate was avoidable."

Ashley Clark, SIGHT &SOUND

 

"this documentary stirs the ire. [...] It beggars belief. It really does. -- ★★★★ (4 stars)"

Gavin Burke, ENTERTAINMENT IRELAND

 

"If there is one documentary that you watch at the beginning of 2013 then make sure that it is Fire in the Blood [...] incredibly captivating"

Helen Earnshaw, FEMALE FIRST

 

“a must see -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

FILMORIA

 

“forthright and shocking -- ★★★★ ½ (4.5 stars)”

EYE FOR FILM

 

“as a study in human greed this is shocking... it never loses sight of the individual suffering and courage which makes the story so significant.”

Trevor Johnston, TIMEOUT

 

“The fact that the press screening ended with a standing ovation is a testament to the effect it had on us as an audience. [...] a masterpiece of documentary film-making -- ★★★★★ (5 stars)”

Pearse Connery, HI! MAGAZINE

 

“an astonishingly strong and important debut film... essential viewing -- ★★★★★ (5 stars)”

Emma Cooper, THE UPCOMING

 

“an epic piece of work”

FILMJUICE

 

“a spellbinding documentary -- ★★★★1/2 (4.5 stars)”

MOUTH LONDON

 

“WHY are tales of corporate greed still so surprising? We should know better by now but Fire In The Blood still has the power to shock and outrage. -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

DAILY EXPRESS

 

“fascinating yet frightening... I defy anyone who watches it not to be touched by the power of the human spirit -- 9/10”

EVERY FILM

“brilliant and fascinating... would make a great Hollywood blockbusting thriller”

CAMDEN REVIEW

 

“Fire in the Blood is one of the clearest political arguments I've seen in a long time, but thankfully it works as a piece of cinema too. … beautiful... ★★★★★ (5 stars)”

LONDON CITY NIGHTS

 

"affecting, controversial subject matter... shocking, informative and moving"

SHORTLIST

 

“so important and so powerful that you forget for a moment that you are watching this on your screen… affecting on so many levels… beautifully compiled...  the audience [is] gripped from the opening minutes until the very end. -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Oliver Charles, FRONT ROW REVIEWS

 

“bound to promote fury among many viewers who'll barely be able to believe the story”  “A powerful look at a terrible injustice -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Tim Isaac, MOVIE MUSER

 

“hugely important”

SCREENJABBER

 

“powerful and sobering -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

LOST IN THE MULTIPLEX

 

“astounding... truly brilliant... Moving and unrelenting, Fire in the Blood offers an engaging and inspiring tale that will shock, stun and at times warm your heart.”

MOVIE EMPORIUM

 

“Fire In The Blood will fuel anger in your veins”

METRO

 

“a roaring success... Engrossing and important Fire in the Blood needs to be seen by as many people as possible -- ★★★★★ (5 stars)”

MILD CONCERN

 

“startling”

LITTLE WHITE LIES

 

“powerful and interesting"

CLOSE-UP FILM

 

“it shocks, it informs, it provokes and it grips... Fire in the Blood burrows deep – and sets your blood boiling. Go see it -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Ivan Radford, I-FLICKS

 

“powerful and shocking... a film which will provoke fury and dismay.”

MORNING STAR

 

“a phenomenally fascinating tale... The documentary is a credit to everyone involved on any level..  it’s about all of us, everywhere, now. -- 10/10”

Steve Clarke, FLUSH MAGAZINE

 

“Gray's justifiably hard-hitting documentary unscrews the cap on a very modern scandal -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

THE HERALD (Scotland)

 

“needs to be told again and again. And Gray does so with furious zeal. -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Derek Malcolm, EVENING STANDARD

“a compelling and provocative piece of filmmaking -- ★★★★ (4 stars)”

Paul Risker, FLICKERING MYTH

”An unbelievable and shocking tale... powerful and anger-inducing”

FILM PILGRIM

 

“a moving and intense historical documentary”

CONTACTMUSIC

 

“wonderfully moving and powerful... Fire in the Blood is absolutely essential viewing. 9/10”

SUBBA-CULTCHA

 

"An essential watch"

TREBUCHET MAGAZINE

 

"I could write a thousand words about the plot, detailing every interview; however the strength of the film is the experience of it. [...] This is documentary film making as it is supposed to be done."

EXPOSED MAGAZINE

"an astounding documentary … the presentation of the horrific abuse of power at the cost of human life is truly brilliant. … Moving and unrelenting, Fire in the Blood offers an engaging and inspiring tale that will shock, stun and at times warm your heart."

Vicky Hinault, MOVIE EMPORIUM

 

“extraordinary... a documentary that’s made like a crime thriller” ‎"Fire in the Blood is in the great tradition of powerful documentary films that challenge globalised corporate culture"

Samira Ahmed, BBC WORLD “THE STRAND”

 

"the film is exceptionally impactful... heart-rending... a suspense drama"

Karin Badt, THE HUFFINGTON POST (US)

 

 

AWARD CITATIONS:

"Fire in the Blood is truly outstanding.  The real story of the struggle to make HIV and AIDS drugs available and affordable for the world's poor, is nothing like the headlines we've read.  It is both a heart-breaking and a heart-warming story all in the same film and it is elevated by exceptional access to captivating moments of deep humanity and emotion.

In exploring the macrocosm of big industry and the microcosm of individual people Fire in the Blood makes clear that we are all responsible for this crisis and there is something we can do to influence change. […] The fight continues, not just for AIDS but for all diseases - watch this film!"

2013 DOXA FEATURE DOCUMENTARY AWARD jury citation (full citation here), DOXA Vancouver

 

 

"This critically important film demonstrates that the struggle to bring affordable life-saving medicines to those in desperate need is an ongoing fight.  It emphasizes that the countries of the Global South are helping each other.  The filmmaker brings the story home with interviews that cut across the boundaries of race, class and nationality.

Ultimately the film raises the real questions of the value of life and compassion versus the marketplace.  These questions are framed in terms of HIV/AIDS and the developing world, but they are the questions that should face all of us everywhere."

2013 JUSTICE MATTERS AWARD jury citation, 27th Washington DC International Film Festival