Shot in San Francisco, Alone Together tells the compelling stories of nine young people of widely different backgrounds: some grew up on the street, some in loving suburban families. One young woman is even a professional figure skater. They are straight and gay, male and female, from a variety of ethnic groups. Some contracted the disease through IV drug use, others from unprotected sex. Yet all of them have one thing in common: unlike their friends, who pursue jobs, education and relationships, these young people are living with a potentially life-threatening disease, and the stigma that accompanies it.

They speak with uncanny insight into their experience, candidly discussing sex, the difficulty of telling their parents that they're HIV positive, life on the street, their confusion, anger and, most of all, their deep sorrow at knowing they may not live to achieve their dreams. It is a haunting, timely film; its cautionary message to young people as well as adults has never been more urgent.

A production of NHK HI-VISION