Doin’ My Drugs

Thomas Buttenschøn was born HIV+ in Zambia in 1985 to a Zambian mother and Danish father. By the time he was nine, he had lost both his parents to the disease. Now in his mid 30s, he’s a household name in Denmark, as an award-winning musician and former judge of Denmark’s Got Talent. 

Shot over two-and-a-half years, Tyler Q Rosen’s documentary feature Doin’ My Drugs follows Thomas as he returns to Zambia as living proof that HIV/Aids is not a death sentence. “I have two healthy children. I am healthy. I have a healthy wife. I cannot infect them because I am properly medicated,” says Thomas. “It is obvious to everyone that if all the infected were well medicated, like me, we would be able to eradicate HIV. Full stop.” 

But in Zambia, despite government initiatives to make antiretrovirals available for free, there is much work to be done. The documentary follows Thomas as he organises a concert with Zambian stars like Maiko Zulu, Danny Kaya, John Chiti, Afunika, and B Flow – where free tickets are offered in return for HIV tests. 

An official selection at CPH: Dox, Doin’ My Drugs has been hailed as “polished” and “engrossing” by Boston Globe; “inspiring” by Filmthreat; and “powerful” and “timely” by Film Juice. 

“My parents will never come back, but if they are sitting up there watching, I hope they can see that I’m doing everything I can to get the sh*t stopped,” Thomas says.