XIX International AIDS Conference. Lecture on SAMHD1 proteins by a scientist from the French vaccine research institute ANRS. The French Minister of Higher Education and Research holds a speech about the French-American collaboration in vaccine research.

The primary focus of this documentary is on the history of how the AIDS epidemic started in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York in 1981. Many different stories are told about people affected or surrounded by HIV and AIDS in the early years of the epidemic.