Buddies (1985)

Co-presented by the Shanti Project and Frameline 

Extended introduction with Jenni Olson representing The Bressan Project and the Shanti Project 

Arthur J. Bressan Jr. (Gay USA) created this indie masterpiece in 1985, which was the first feature-length drama about AIDS. When 25 year-old gay yuppie David (David Schachter) volunteers to be a “buddy” to an AIDS patient, the gay community center assigns him to Robert (Geoff Edholm), a 32 year-old politically impassioned gay California gardener abandoned by his friends and lovers. Revolving around the confines of Robert’s Manhattan hospital room, Bressan skillfully unfolds this devastating two-hander (the rest of the cast is only heard offscreen). As David gazes out at the piers and rooftops of Manhattan, we hear his deftly scripted diary entries in voiceover. And as David is changed by knowing Robert, so, too, are we. In the simplicity of the story and the elegance of its unfolding, Buddies achieves a rare perfection. It’s a timeless portrayal of an entire era in gay history.

Courtesy of  Frameline Distribution

“Shanti Project was founded 50 years ago on the principle that every person deserves compassion, connection, community, companionship, and human dignity. Shanti Project was a critical first responder to the HIV/AIDS epidemic from the earliest reported cases. We continue to provide compassionate support to those facing life’s most challenging circumstances with Shanti by their side.”

Part of the series 40 Years of Queer