76 Days

76 Days
USA | 2020 | 93’ | Colour | Mandarin | English subtitle | Group: B
Director: Hao Wu, Weixi Chen, Anonymous

Shot in four different hospitals and the work of three different directors, this must-see documentary eschews the political for the human stories at the heart of the 76-day lockdown in Wuhan. The result is a surprisingly warm, often funny, predictably heart-wrenching exploration of resilience and kindness within the frontline medical facilities taking in the infected. Even though we only occasionally glimpse the faces of the masked doctors and nurses who strive – tirelessly, sleeplessly – to save lives, the camaraderie, good humour and fortitude of these heroic workers shines through their masks. COVID-19 has been used inappropriately by many political agendas around the world, but this film reminds us powerfully that we all belong to the same human race and that we are all fighting – or should all be fighting – the same fight against the virus.

MIKE GOODRIDGE

On January 23rd, 2020, China locked down Wuhan, a city of 11 million, to combat the emerging COVID-19 outbreak. Set deep inside the frontlines of the crisis, this film tells the human stories at the center of this pandemic—from a woman begging in vain to bid a final farewell to her father, a grandpa with dementia searching for his way home, a couple anxious to meet their newborn, to a nurse determined to return personal items to families of the deceased.

Hao Wu

Wu’s previous feature documentary, People’s Republic of Desire, about China’s live-streaming phenomenon, won the Grand Jury Award at the 2018 SXSW festival, among many other awards. It has screened at over 40 film festivals worldwide, while his latest short, All in My Family, launched globally on Netflix in May 2019. Born and raised in China, Wu now travels between the US and China. His writing has appeared on Time.com, Slate.com, Marketplace Radio, Strait Times, China Newsweek, and China Daily.

Anonymous

This local reporter in Wuhan wishes to remain anonymous to protect his identity. On assignment to shoot photos for his employer at different Wuhan hospitals during the lockdown, he started shooting videos for the first time, for himself.

Weixi Chen

Chen is a video reporter for Esquire China. His documentary shorts have been supported by Tencent News and First Documentary Lab, and have won awards at Hong Kong International Documentary Festival and Caixin Media Awards.