Inside Lara Roxx Red Band Trailer (2011)

In 2004 a young woman from Montreal made her way to Los Angeles to follow a dream of making big money in the porn industry. Her plan was to get in and get out: she would work for a short while, get paid and go home. Unfortunately this is not how things played out for 21 year-old Lara Roxx, who contracted the most virulent form of HIV while working--after only a few short weeks in L.A. She is one of only 19 people reported to have contracted HIV working in porn in the last few decades.

In the years leading up to her diagnosis, and the difficult years soon after, Lara struggled with a tumultuous personal life, navigating the difficult terrain of addiction, compromised mental health, destructive relationships and crises of identity. At its core, director Mia Donovan's emotional documentary explores the harrowing journey of a woman whose life took a devastating turn. But she simultaneously exposes the failings of a billion-dollar industry that is less regulated than it needs to be, and the inadequacies of the few structures in place that are meant to protect workers from Lara's fate. Here we have a rare glimpse into the reality--and the humanity--behind the glamorous façade of California's adult-entertainment industry.