X

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Killing Patient Zero

Gaetan Dugas, who grew up in Quebec City, was a Quebec flight attendant, who was openly and proudly gay, and he liked to wear makeup. In the early 1980s after he contracted what was initially called "gay cancer" in the media, he provided his blood samples and the names of seventy two (72) of his former sex partners. Gaetan Dugas was initially demonized because of his promiscuity, being openly gay, and he was wrongfully identified as patient zero, therefore being wrongfully identified for quite some time as the initial person responsible for introducing the AIDS virus into North America. Dugas's assistance with a subsequent medical study and his providing his sexual history played a key role in contributing to a study that helped prove HIV/AIDS was sexually transmitted.

Loading. Please wait...

Content not available in your region? ExpressVPN can help you stay connected wherever you are. Get 4 extra months FREE with TV Guide's exclusive offer.

Cast & Crew See All

Richard Berkowitz
Self - Author
Richard Bisson
Self - Former Flight Attendant
Anita Bryant
Self

Featured Video

Killing Patient Zero
Killing Patient Zero
2:16

2:16 Killing Patient Zero

Awards

  • 2019 - Audience Award - Best Documentary - nominated
  • 2019 - Excellence in Documentary - Allan King Award for Excellence in Documentary - nominated
  • 2019 - DGC Craft Award - Picture Editing - Documentary - nominated

You May Also Like See All

Lawrence of Arabia
Compensation
Best Kept Secret
The Leopard

Popular Movies See all movies

History of the World: Part I

1 hr 32 mins
Mel Brooks brings his one-of-a-kind comic touch to the history of mankind covering events from the Old Testament to the French Revolution in a series of episodic comedy vignettes.
47   Metascore
1981 Comedy, Documentary, Music

The Ten Commandments

3 hr 40 mins
The Egyptian Prince, Moses, learns of his true heritage as a Hebrew and his divine mission as the deliverer of his people.
1956 Action & Adventure, Drama, Family, Documentary

Hamnet

2 hr 5 mins
From Academy Award® winning writer/director Chloé Zhao, HAMNET tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.
84   Metascore
2025 Documentary, Drama

Child of Rage

1 hr 34 mins
Rob and Jill Tyler adopt 2 children named Catherine and Eric. Eric is sweet, quiet and shy and Catherine is nice at times but has these terrible violent outbursts for no apparent reason. Catherine sticks the dog Casey with needles until the dog bleeds. She smashes Eric's head on the basement floor, causing him to go to the emergency room and tries to stab her new adoptive father with a knife while he's sleeping. Jill and Rob try to find a doctor and they eventually find Dr. Rosemary Myers. She examines Catherine and find out that she was abused by her biological father and wants Catherine to overcome this rage. Dr. Myers, Jill, and Rob preform holding therapy for Catherine and at first it doesn't seem to work, but Catherine seems to become more at ease as the therapy progresses.
1992 Documentary, Drama, Horror, Suspense

Song Sung Blue

2 hr 12 mins
The inspiring true story of two down-on-their-luck performers who form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it's never too late to find love and follow your dreams.
61   Metascore
2025 Documentary, Drama, Music

Women of the Bible

0 hr 50 mins
Mary Magdalene: chosen disciple, redeemed sinner and holy author? All three? Uncover the truth of Mary's many mysteries, prophecies, and lifetime in WOMEN OF THE BIBLE.
2014 Documentary