Oregon Premiere

When Dan (James Roday, Psyched)—HIV-positive for over 20 years— accidentally deposits a $100 birthday check from his mother, he is dropped from his health plan for earning too much money. In today’s era of “sort-of ” universal healthcare, can he take on a helpless bureaucracy or come up with the $3,000 a month he needs to pay for his meds himself? A great cast including Danny Glover, Robin Weigert, Khandi Alexander, and the city of San Francisco itself adds to this romantic comedy about what it’s really like to live with HIV. 

Director’s Statement: Tom E. Brown 

I’ve been HIV-positive for most of my life, so many people assume this story is about me. Although it’s not autobiographical, I do have the inside scoop, and it’s hard to resist tossing in some of those personal HIV experiences. But Pushing Dead is much more than an AIDS flick. It’s a picture about how we cope with the bad stuff, our need for support systems, and the hunt for a mate. When I was watching those AIDS films with characters dying, what I really wanted to see was a movie about real, funny people living and dealing with big problems—my wife left me, I have AIDS, I’m in love with a stuffed animal—so that’s what I wrote. 

Sponsored by Asante Ashland Community Hospital