Someone who is on regular therapy and is undetectable is actually safer to be around than a random stranger who has no idea what their status is.
If you have ever been to a rooftop party in Barcelona, you know the vibe. La Verbena captures that energy perfectly, but it quickly moves past the music and drinks to something much more real. Alex and his girlfriend Ana are celebrating the fact that they are going to be parents, but the arrival of Marc, an old friend from London, completely shifts the mood.
A Necessary Reality Check
The core of this short film is the conversation between Alex and Marc. Marc reveals that he is HIV positive but indetectable. This is the strongest part of the movie for me because it hits on a truth we often ignore. Even in 2026, people still react with fear instead of facts. Marc is responsible, he is on his meds, and he knows exactly what is going on with his body. In reality, someone like him is much safer to be with than some random guy who never gets tested and has no clue about his own health. The film does a great job showing that the "danger" is often just in people's uneducated heads.
The Cast and Atmosphere
The acting feels very natural, like you are just eavesdropping on a group of friends. Gabriel D'Almeida Freitas is great as Alex. You can see him struggling to keep his "perfect life" face on while his world is being shaken. Robin Reese, who plays Marc, brings a lot of calm and honesty to the role. He is not looking for sympathy, he is just stating his truth. Their chemistry makes it clear that they have a deep history, which makes the tension even thicker when things get awkward with the rest of the group.
The director, Rubén Sánchez, keeps things simple and focused on the emotions. There are no over-the-top dramatic speeches, just the kind of messy, uncomfortable conversations that happen in real life. It is a reminder that knowing your status and being on therapy is a sign of strength and responsibility, even if the world around you is still catching up to that fact. It is a quick watch but it stays with you, especially the way it handles the stigma that still lingers in the gay community and beyond.
