Love is the Drug: Screening and Conversation

Visual AIDS presented the premiere of Love is the Drug, a short documentary film by Liz Roberts. The screening was followed by a conversation with Roberts and Heather Edney, moderated by Blake Paskal, Programs Director, Visual AIDS.

Love is the Drug tells the story of Heather Edney’s drug user organizing which began in Santa Cruz, California, while she was caring for MyLeia Loya, a child who was born HIV positive. The film brings together a trove of archival materials: Edney’s appearances on television, photographs, zines, flyers, and community health education videos with more recent 16mm footage of Edney and Loya in Santa Cruz. Love is the Drug ultimately asserts that the archive is not a scene of redemption, but rather a cinematic apparatus that can teach us about durational love.

This screening presentation was part of the exhibition Love Rules: The Harm Reduction Archives of Heather Edney and Richard Berkowitz on view at MoMA PS1 from April 24 to October 6. Following the screening, visitors were welcomed to explore the exhibition and converse with the panelists.