Years before his first appearance on MTV’s The Real World, Pedro Zamora had a long and successful history of HIV/AIDS advocacy and activism. The young Cuban immigrant was politically engaged even before his HIV diagnosis, but his activism reached new heights when he became a pivotal figure in MTV’s groundbreaking reality program in 1994. Those born in the late ’70s and early ’80s will likely remember both Pedro and the show vividly—and they are the intended audience for Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way. Pedro’s fellow cast members and the showrunners provide valuable insight into both the production of The Real World and Pedro’s life and activism behind the scenes.
Keep the Cameras Rolling is often billed as a queer documentary and an AIDS documentary, but those themes feel more like satellites orbiting the planet-sized focus on The Real World and its cultural impact on a generation. It would be a strong addition to a film series on AIDS activism, but as a stand-alone AIDS documentary, it may disappoint viewers seeking a deeper dive into the broader history of the epidemic. As a queer documentary, it fares a bit better, thanks to the focus on Pedro’s personal life and marriage, with his former roommates and producers serving as surrogates to tell his story for him.
Ultimately, Keep the Cameras Rolling is first and foremost a media documentary. Viewers interested in how reality television was made—and fans of The Real World in particular—will be thrilled by this in-depth look into the show’s production, the methodology of its creators, and the political ideals that shaped its success. In that sense, its structure is more Behind the Music than your typical AIDS documentary, which will make it more popular with nostalgic fans of the show than with those seeking general queer or AIDS-focused documentaries. Highly recommended.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
Keep the Cameras Rolling belongs in collections that focus on media studies, LGBTQIA+ history, and cultural milestones of the 1990s. It’s a particularly strong addition to any library looking to expand holdings on television history, reality TV, and queer representation in mainstream media. For institutions with collections on AIDS activism or Latino LGBTQIA+ figures, this film offers valuable insight—even if its focus leans more heavily toward media narrative than health policy or activism.
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
Keep the Cameras Rolling would serve courses in Media Studies, Queer History, American Studies, Latinx Studies, and Public Health History. It provides an accessible case study for students examining how media can influence public perception of AIDS, LGBTQ+ issues, and racial/ethnic representation. Its rich behind-the-scenes material makes it especially useful for discussions around reality TV production and ethical storytelling.