What do a Swiss-trained Ph.D. with a background in cytogenetics and Elizabeth Taylor have in common?  The answer is, surprisingly, quite a bit.  The relationship between Dr. Mathilde Krim, one of the founders of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), and Elizabeth Taylor is masterfully explored in the forty-minute documentary The Battle of amfAR, which plays at this week’s QFest.  Although both women may appear to be vastly different, their revolutionary activism towards AIDS research in a time when the disease was considered taboo to discuss can best be summarized by Ms. Taylor: “Bitch, do something yourself!”

The documentary paints both Dr. Krim and Ms. Taylor as passionate, heartfelt advocates.  In one scene, Dr. Krim recalls the pivotal event of her childhood that made her want to become a medical researcher: the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and the ghastly, horrid images that followed in the media.  She tried to explain the terrible scenes to her parents who staunchly disbelieved her and refused to come to terms with the genocide.  It was this interaction with her family that made Dr. Krim “seek truth.”

Ms. Taylor ‘s passion for promoting AIDS awareness stemmed from a much more personal calling: many of her friends, including actor Rock Hudson, were diagnosed with AIDS.  This, coupled with what Ms. Taylor saw as an opportunity to use her celebrity status for good, provided Ms. Taylor with a ferocious backbone to campaign for federal funding for AIDS research.  This is quite remarkable given that the then-president, Ronald Reagan, would literally not even utter the word “AIDS” during public press conferences and speeches.

Filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman should be commended for presenting this tightly-woven documentary that shows the unlikely collaboration and friendship between both women and the remarkable work that amfAR continues to do for AIDS research today.