“My Day is the Same as Yours” explores HIV stigma, visibility, relationships and the everyday realities of living well with HIV in 2026 

Cork, Ireland – September 2026:   

The Sexual Health Centre is proud to announce its new short film, My Day Is The Same As Yours.  It stars Gabriel Marttin de França, who lives with HIV and works as the LGBTQIA+ Support Worker at the Sexual Health Centre. Directed by the Centre’s HIV Programme Manager, Ian Brennan, in collaboration with filmmaker Jack Deacon, the film offers an intimate and thought-provoking exploration of identity, relationships and resilience, challenging the assumptions and prejudices that continue to surround HIV today. 

At its heart, My Day is the Same as Yours is a celebration of ordinary life. Through the experience of Gabriel, a person living with HIV, the film invites audiences to look beyond outdated assumptions and stereotypes and to recognise the shared humanity, relationships, aspirations and everyday experiences of people living with HIV. The film is dedicated to de-stigmatising relationships among people living with HIV, while reclaiming visibility and self-care as acts of defiance. Rather than focusing solely on HIV as a medical condition, the film asks audiences to consider what it means to live, love, connect and thrive. 

Challenging stigma through storytelling  

Although advances in HIV treatment have transformed the lives of people living with HIV, stigma and misinformation continue to have a profound impact. The Sexual Health Centre has a long history of working to challenge HIV stigma, promote testing and support people living with HIV. The organisation was established in 1987 as Cork AIDS Alliance and continues to provide inclusive sexual health information, support, counselling, education and HIV services to communities in Cork and beyond. My Day is the Same as Yours builds on that legacy by using film and personal storytelling to create a space where people living with HIV can be visible on their own terms.  The Centre believes that visibility matters. By creating opportunities for people living with HIV to tell their own stories and participate fully in public life, communities can challenge the silence and stigma that have surrounded HIV for decades.  As Ireland continues to make progress in HIV prevention, testing and treatment, tackling stigma remains an essential part of ensuring that people can live healthy, fulfilling and connected lives. 

Fiona Finn, Executive Director of the Sexual Health Centre, said: 

“This film is about people, not just HIV. It is about everyday life, relationships, visibility, resilience, and the right to live openly and with dignity. We want this evening to celebrate people living with HIV while also challenging the stigma and outdated perceptions that can still surround HIV. The short film gives us a powerful way to create empathy, open conversations and remind audiences that living with HIV is not the defining story of a person's life.” 

Special guest performance from Shobsy 

The premiere at Cork Opera House features a special live performance from Shobsy, whose acclaimed acoustic cover of Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy on RTÉ's The Late Late Show went viral and received widespread acclaim. Shobsy has recently signed with Sony Music in New York, marking an exciting new chapter in his career. 

Free Tickets Available from Eventbrite. 

ENDS 

For further information, interviews or media enquiries: 

Sexual Health Centre 

18 South Mall, Cork, Ireland 

Tel: 021 427 6676 

Email: fiona@sexualhealthcentre.com 

Website: www.sexualhealthcentre.com