Did you meet the twins and then decide to tell their story, or were you searching for a story about AIDS -- or perhaps something completely different? A person close to me is HIV-positive and over the years I have accompanied them to Camp Goodtime, which is an annual camp held for families living with HIV. It was at one of these camps that the twins first caught my eye. They were busting some serious moves on the dance floor and were having so much fun with their friends that they really stood out. However, it wasn't until I was adding my touch of art to the quilt that I met their mother, Susanne. We were all sharing little bits of information about each other and I really admired her and loved listening to the stories she shared. After camp had finished I tracked them down through the hospital social worker and we met a few times and the story started from there. Why did you feel it was important to tell their stories? I know how painful it is for a child to have to hide a part of themselves and I know that these children feel guilty for being ill. I want to do all I can to help break down the myths, fears and prejudices that HIV-positive children face. I hope that the stories we share will help to change the world's opinion toward people who carry this deadly virus
Did you ask any questions the boys or the adoptive mother didn't feel comfortable answering? Not really because we all knew how important this story was. But, there was definitely a couple of squirmish moments between the boys and I. I was asking them about things that hurt and things that were very personal but they knew I was asking them from my heart and that I needed to gain a complete picture so people really understood how difficult an illness this is for a young person to live with. Did the making or airing of the documentary impact the family's life in any way? There were definitely some nervous moments because Vuli was putting himself out there and no one knew what the impact would be. He had hidden a part of who he was for so long that it was a major step forward to pretty much tell everyone and anyone who wanted to listen. But, so far so good, a longtime friend of the twins' mother actually heard the programme and then phoned Susanne to give her support, she couldn't believe what she had just heard and wanted them to know that things between them would remain the same. They were relieved by her response. What was the biggest challenge to you in recording and/or mixing the program? Besides interviewing Susanne in an old caravan in their backyard when every man and his dog decided to mow their lawn . . . the obvious challenges are in getting the story clear, wanting to tell as much of their personal journey as possible, doing justice to their parents who passed away but without having to compromise the story of who they are today. I was always thinking of how the story would affect Susanne and the boys and decided to leave out some powerful but very personal bits that perhaps other programme makers wouldn't but I couldn't compromise the talent for the sake of a story, albeit a very important one.