3 Needles

3 Needles
3 Needles
	Promotional film poster
Directed by	Thom Fitzgerald
Written by	Thom Fitzgerald
Produced by	Thom Fitzgerald; Bryan Hofbauer
Starring	Shawn Ashmore; Stockard Channing; Tanabadee Chokpikultong; Isabelle Cyr; Olympia Dukakis; Sook-Yin Lee; Lucy Liu; Sandra Oh; Ian Roberts; Chloë Sevigny; Sandra Oh; Anele Solwandle
Cinematography	Thomas M. Harting
Edited by	Susan Shanks
Music by	Christophe Beck; Trevor Morris
Production; companies	Bigfoot Entertainment; Emotion Pictures
Release date	September 9, 2005(Toronto International Film Festival);
Running time	127 minutes
Country	Canada
Languages	Afrikaans; Mandarin; Xhosa; French; English
Box office	$12,327

3 Needlesis a 2005 Canadiandrama filmdirected byThom Fitzgerald.The title refers to the three main characters who make adeal with the Devilin order to survive a globalepidemic.The plot deals with interwoven stories of persons around the world who are dealing withHIVandAIDS,and starsShawn Ashmore,Olympia Dukakis,Lucy Liu,Stockard Channing,Chloë Sevigny,andSandra Oh.

The film was screened at variousfilm festivals,and was given alimited releasein the United States on December 1, 2006.

Plot

A group of young men in South Africa, undergo arite of passagesymbolizing their change from boyhood into manhood.

In ruralChina,a heavilypregnantJin Ping is caught by Chinese military men with crates ofblack marketblood in her van. The blood is destroyed and she is subsequently gang raped. Jin Ping is then shown visiting a village and convincing the inhabitants to give blood for $5 each. They all agree, except Tong Sam, arice farmer,as he is unable to give blood as he is sick. However, as Jin Ping's equipment is not safe, most of the people in the village contractHIVand die ofAIDS,including Tong Sam's family. The military men led by Xuan arrive in the village to help with the disease, and they help Tong Sam grow rice, which he then gives out to his remaining neighbors. Government officials arrive in the town to test people for AIDS, but the testing is $10 per person, which one neighbor thinks is a scam because it "cost $5 when she gave me the virus."

InCanada,porn starDenys thinks he may beHIV positive.He cheats his monthly blood tests by taking blood samples from his ailing father instead of providing his own blood. Eventually his father dies, and his mother Olive finds out her son's job, much to her dismay. Denys subsequently quits his job. Olive finds out that her son isHIV positivewhen she goes to meet him at aself-help group.She then decides to infect herself with theHIV virusby drinking Denys's blood, and then gets a substantial pay-off from herhealth insurancecompany. She uses the money to provide a better life for her and Denys. One night they go out for dinner, and they are waited on by Maria, a former colleague of Denys. She informs him that she, and several other porn actors, are now infected with HIV because of Denys. She says "you killed me for $800".

In South Africa, where three nuns Clara, Mary, and Hilde arrive at a plantation where they are to give aid. Clara who is very head-strong goes to great lengths to look after the family of a young rape victim, whose grandmother has died, and who is cared for by her older brother. She asks for help from the plantation owner Hallyday, who makes sexual advances on her. Eventually she gives in and allows Hallyday to have sex with her, if he agrees to help the family she looks after. She eventually discovers that the older brother in the family is re-using the plantation's needles, effectively spreading infections amongst the people who live and work there. Following this, three men break into the nuns' bedroom and rape them. The nuns leave the plantation soon after, but as the car pulls away, Clara gets out and walks back to the plantation, removing herhabitas she goes.

The epilogue is narrated by Hilde, who is revealed to be aSaintand has heard the prayers of everyone from the three stories detailed above. She wonders why the human race will not unite in the face of their common enemy, AIDS, and decides that God, or at least the way people believe in him, is to blame for this failure.

Cast

Chloë Sevignyas Clara
Lucy Liuas Jin Ping
Shawn Ashmoreas Denys
Stockard Channingas Olive
Chin Hanas Xuan
Tanabadee Chokpikultong as Tong Sam
Mabel Adams as Namhnru
Sook-Yin Leeas Xiu
Sandra Ohas Mary
Olympia Dukakisas Hilde
Yoyo Chorkreaw as Qi
Tyson Hall as Zulu
Siv Mbelu as Bongile
Aubert Pallascioas Herold
Ian Robertsas Hallyday
Thantokazi Guili as Klipikwela
Alwyn van den Heever as Isaac
Isabelle Cyras Canadian Health Care Worker
Anele Solwandle as Huku

Release

3 Needlesdebuted at theToronto International Film Festival,was also shown at festivals inLondon,Stockholm,Karlovy Vary,Seattle,andPusan.It made its commercial release in theUnited Statesat theNew York City Museum of Modern Arton December 1, 2006 (World AIDS Day). Leading up to its U.S. premier, it was heavily promoted by the United Nations Global Media AIDS Initiative.

Critical reception

The film won prizes forcinematographyand direction at the Atlantic Film Festival. Fitzgerald was nominated for a Canadian Director's Guild Award for Best Direction of a Feature Film; additionally,Varietypraised its "exceptional performances".

References

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External links

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