Thanks to decades of scientific innovation, HIV is medically manageable for many people. But the ability to access and sustain consistent HIV care is not equally shared, especially when barriers compound and reinforce one another. Casey House, a hospital unlike any other providing care for people living with and at risk of HIV, deals with this constantly.

To help change prevailing attitudes, Casey House has worked with creative agency, Bensimon Byrne and its sister shop, NarrativeXPR, to create a film, Big Fucking Deal, directed by Academy Award–nominated filmmaker, Hubert Davis, that highlights the dire consequences of a disjoint between attitudes and reality around HIV. The film is part of the hospital’s ongoing Smash Stigma campaign.

A study commissioned by Casey House found that more than half of Canadians (54%) don’t feel they understand what it means to live with HIV today – a gap that leaves stigma unchallenged and barriers unseen. Big Fucking Deal responds by demonstrating how stigma intensifies and outcomes diverge when an HIV diagnosis intersects with challenges such as housing insecurity, substance use dependency, mental health challenges, and discrimination tied to identity.

“We’ve made extraordinary progress in HIV treatment, but equity has not kept pace,” stated Joanne Simons, CEO, Casey House. “This film, the sixth edition of our longstanding Smash Stigma initiative, is a call to see the full humanity of people living with HIV. It asks Canadians to replace assumption with understanding and empathy, especially when other challenges are present in people’s lives.”

For people navigating multiple barriers at once, the difference between treatment being available and treatment being truly accessible and sustainable can be enormous. It can mean trying to stay connected to care without stable housing, managing mental illness amid trauma or poverty, or facing discrimination that makes seeking support feel unsafe. The film centres these realities not to sensationalize them, but to make visible what stigma often obscures: the human cost of being misunderstood, unsupported, or judged.

“We approached this as a human story first, not a diagnosis,” commented Hubert Davis, founder of Folktale films and director of the film. “It’s about what people are carrying, and how that load is magnified for those living with HIV but also confronting difficult realities of housing, mental illness and substance use dependency. We wanted to honour that reality without over-simplifying it. If Big Fucking Deal does one thing, I hope it helps people see stigma differently and see the person first.”

“People often ask why Casey House is needed in a world where HIV treatment can allow someone to live a long, healthy life. But that assumes everything else falls into place — a life free of stigma, supported by stable housing and strong mental health,” added Joseph Bonnici, chief creative officer at Bensimon Byrne’s parent company, Tadiem. “Take one, two, or all of those away, and stability can unravel quickly.”

This tension shows up in what Canadians think it takes to live with HIV today. Medication is widely understood, with 82% of Canadians saying consistent access to medication is typically required to stay healthy. However, fewer recognise the role of stigma-free health care (63%) and stable housing (48%) in making consistent care possible. Trust in care is also fragile. Only 44% of Canadians say they are confident that people living with HIV in Canada receive stigma-free health care when they need it.

“The science is clear: HIV treatment works. But there are still gaps in understanding, and too little confidence that people will receive stigma-free care when they need it,” noted Yasser Ismail, chief strategy & knowledge officer, Casey House. “That’s exactly the gap Casey House exists to close, by meeting people where they are and ensuring care is delivered with dignity and without judgment.”

Credits:
Client: Casey House
Chief Executive Officer: Joanne Simons
Chief Development and Marketing Officer: Alanna Scott
Communications Director: Lisa McDonald

Agency: Bensimon Byrne
Chief Creative Officer: Joseph Bonnici
Executive Creative Director: Gints Bruveris
Creative Director: David Mueller
Art Director: Diana D’Alesio  
Writer: Justin Ross
Senior Producer: Katie Link
VP, Group Business Lead: Will Dell
Business Lead: Skye Gandy
Associate Media Director: Zeenat Asif
Project Manager: Ginifsa De La Cruz

PR: NarrativeXPR
VP, Narrative: Rohini Mukherji
Account Director, Marketing Integration: Ashley Belfast
Account Director: Sheri Clish
Executive Creative Director: Jessie Sorell

Production: Folktale Films
Director: Hubert Davis
Executive Producers: Tom Evelyn, Nicholas Taylor & Reuben Taylor
Producer: Erik Wilson
Director of Photography: Daniel Grant
1st AD: Jeff Cowan

Editor: Ashton Lewis
Post Producer: Katie Link

Post Production: DarlingVFX
Colourist: Patrick Samaniego
Producer: Faith Clark
Executive Post Producer: Kristen Van Fleet
Lead VFX Artist: Steve McGregor


Music & Sound Design: Berkeley Inc.
Original Music Composition: Berkeley Inc.
Creative Director: Jared Kuemper
Producer: Julia Vasiliev

Media Agency: Bensimon Byrne