Paper short abstract:

Many people living with HIV fear stigma so they remain silent about their diagnosis. "This is My Face" challenges this taboo by using "collaborative mise-en-scene", a method that combines photography and film to reveal a hidden dialogue only known to those who live with the virus.

Paper long abstract:

In Chile, people living with HIV fear stigma, and often conceal their condition and remain silent about what they are going through. This is My Face explores what happens when a range of men living with the virus open up about the illness that changed their life trajectories. It follows a creative process whereby they produce photographic portraits that represent their memories and feelings, a process that helps them challenge years of silence, shame, and misrepresentation. A lesson in the power of collaborative storytelling.