Where is the National AIDS Memorial? And who is it for? One of only 44 national memorials in the United States, this hidden spot might be San Francisco’s best-kept secret. The Grove traces the dramatic and occasionally controversial history of the AIDS Memorial Grove, which has been tucked into Golden Gate Park for over 20 years.

Originally created as a quiet, contemplative spot by, and for, people dealing with the loss of friends, family and lovers to AIDS, the Grove gained national attention in 1996 when Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi pushed for national memorial status. This led to questions about the role and responsibility of this urban retreat. AIDS activists argued that the Grove’s garden-like quality ignored the severity and seriousness of this deadly disease and fought to add a provocative installation that would make a statement and draw visitors. Arguments ensued about the ultimate goal of this seven-acre sanctuary. Should visitors to the Grove have a similar visceral reaction people get at the Vietnam memorial? Or is it enough to have a beautiful place to reflect on loved ones lost and bask in the wonder of the cycle of life?

The Grove combines historical footage with first person interviews and glorious shots of Golden Gate Park to paint a profoundly moving portrait about this remarkable landscape and the people it serves.

Preceded by

Still Here

Follow the story of New York City native Randy Baron in Still Here. Infected with HIV for thirty years, Randy is an inadvertent witness to the AIDS epidemic and works to prevent a new generation of devastation.

Blink

A lifelong obsession with photography gave Russ Osterwell a way to record his near-death bout with Kaposi’s Sarcoma, an AIDS-related illness, in Blink. — BRENDAN PETERSON