And the Band Played On

From Randy Shilt's bestseller comes a powerful, enlightening and moving chronicle of our times. In the summer of 1981, few knew of the deadly disease we now call AIDS. AND THE BAND PLAYED ON follows the struggle of a handful of strong-willed men and women who took the fight to save lives. Matthew Modine stars as Dr. Don Francis, a researcher at the Centers for Disease Control who seeks to uncover the cause of a number of mysterious deaths. With little funding for a subject few will even discuss, not only must he fight the disease, but a disinterested public, the government, the media and even the communities where the mysterious virus strikes hardest. But as the death toll mounts, public interest is stirred and Francis' research becomes a desperate race against time. Featuring Alan Alda, Phil Collins, Richard Gere, Anjelica Houston, Steve Martin, Ian McKellen, Lily Tomlin, Glenne Headly, Swoosie Kurtz, Richard Masur, Saul Rubinek, Charles Martin Smith and B.D. Wong, AND THE BAND PLAYED ON presents an unforgettable tale of scientific struggle, media manipulation, corruption, deceit, tragedy…and triumph.