Troye Sivan to Star in Coming of Age Film About HIV+

Australian YouTuber turned singer-songwriter Troye Sivan is starring in a new movie titled Three Months.

Three Months follows 17-year-old Caleb Kahn (Troye Sivan), who has a one-night stand the night before his high school graduation, only to discover that he may be HIV positive. It will take three months to know if he’s contracted the life-altering virus or not. In that time, Caleb struggles with anxiety about his circumstances and finds love in the most unlikely of places.

Three Months is written and directed by Jared Frieder. It stars Viveik Kalra, Brianne Tju, Javier Muñoz, and Judy Greer, as well as Academy Award-winning actors Louis Gossett Jr. and Ellen Burstyn.

The story is set in South Florida in 2011. Although receiving an HIV diagnosis at the time wasn't considered a death sentence, people who were HIV positive still faced fear and ignorance. It's a movie for LGBTQIA+ people about an epidemic that was particularly devastating to queer people in the 80s and 90s. Nowadays, people of all sexual orientations can help prevent the transmission of HIV by taking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis medicine) and getting tested regularly for STIs.

Troye came out as gay online in 2013, and he's been a vocal member of the LGBTQIA+ community ever since. In an interview, he touched on how seldom he felt represented by the characters on screen: "When I was growing up, I remember the two, maybe three times I saw queer stories in TV and film. And I remember it being a very, very, very formative experience."

Troye's latest single, "TROUBLE," was written for the film and features Jay Som, another queer voice in the music scene. "TROUBLE" is a love song written from Caleb's perspective, and it’s both incredibly catchy and relatable. With lyrics like "I'm tired of livin' like I'm dyin'" and a reference to Green Day’s "Wake Me Up When September Ends," I have a feeling Three Months might be a tear-jerker. Check out "TROUBLE" now wherever you listen to music: Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.

If you love unique coming-of-age stories with LGBTQIA+ and POC representation, then you'll want to watch this film. Three Months premieres on Paramount+ on Wednesday, February 23.