Last week, Silver Spring rolled out the red carpet for the North American premiere of a new film that seeks to revolutionize HIV/AIDS education for millions in sub-Saharan Africa, Inside Story: The Science of HIV/AIDS. Hosted at the beautiful AFI Silver, the event brought together several members of the pan-African cast and crew, leaders in the eradication of HIV/AIDS — including Ambassador Eric Goosby, United States Global AIDS Coordinator, African dignitaries and partners who helped bring the project to fruition.

The message of the film is simple: knowledge is power. It’s a message shared by the film’s protagonist, Kalu, as we follow his soccer ambitions and struggles along the way. The idea for the film, produced by Curious Pictures South Africa, came about when Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership was assessing community and educational needs among its Learning Centers. Six years later and thanks to the support of generous partners, including the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Chevron, Discovery Communications, Access Bank, the South African Department of Trade and Industry, SEACOM and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the team is firming up plans for an expansive distribution — from African cinemas, free-to-air broadcasts and DVDs paired with teaching guides.

You can watch the extended trailer for Inside Story online and keep up with the film here and by liking the Inside Story Facebook page. We’ve also included a look at the North American premiere, which followed a warm reception in Johannesburg lat month, below.