'Los Frikis' tells story of Cubans who injected themselves with HIV-infected blood to escape poverty

Editor's note: This segment was rebroadcasted on March 26, 2025. Find that audio here. 

A new Spanish-language film out Christmas Day in select markets. "Los Frikis" is inspired by true events in 1990s Cuba. It's estimated that between 200 and 500 people intentionally injected themselves with HIV-infected blood to gain access to government-run health facilities, called sanitariums, to escape poverty and violence.

Adria Arjona, one of the film's stars and an executive producer, joins host Scott Tong to discuss her role in the film, what it was like filming with Cuban actors and the music and humor ever-present in the script.