Daybreak (1993 film)

Plot

In a near-future United States that has become more authoritarian, the film explores the persecution of people infected with a sexually transmitted disease similar to HIV. Those who test positive are forcibly sent to quarantine camps, where authorities tattoo them with a "P" to mark their status. Anyone attempting to escape is shot. These camps are rundown places where patients are left to die, isolated from the outside world and without medical care.

The story follows Blue, a young woman who scavenges metal in the city to survive. She accompanies a friend to a Helping Hand clinic for testing. The clinic's slogan is the sinister "Making your hard choices easier." Outside, they receive a card warning them not to get tested there. It asks, "Why is sickness a crime? Why is hospital a prison? Why does the helping hand hold a gun?" Troubled by this, Blue meets an activist named Torch, who is part of the resistance.

The resistance fights to prevent the quarantine of infected individuals. They offer testing outside the official system, so people can avoid being sent to camps. They also rescue those held by Helping Hand clinics, providing them with medicine, care, and compassion. To slow the disease's spread, they distribute condoms and clean needles. This stands in stark contrast to government ads for the clinics, which threaten, "The only way is not to play."

A romance develops between Blue and Torch. It is later revealed that Torch is positive. His activism leads to his arrest, and when police discover his status, they send him to quarantine. Blue sneaks into the camp to see him. She asks Torch to infect her so they can live together inside, but he refuses. Ultimately, she escapes at his urging and carries on the fight from the outside.