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The First Wave

U.S., 94m, DCP

Showtimes & Tickets

Screened November 19–December 2, 2021

A once-in-a-century pandemic has engulfed our world, leaving in its wake a devastating trail of death and despair, while also exposing long-standing fault lines in our society and changing the very fabric of our daily lives. The “first wave” of COVID-19 ravaged the city of New York from March through June 2020. Through Matthew Heineman’s signature approach of character-driven cinéma vérité, The First Wave documents those harrowing four months, embedding with a group of brave healthcare workers at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, as they risked their lives in the epic battle to keep the virus at bay. A NEON release

Official Selection: Hamptons International Film Festival, DOC NYC, AFI Fest, BFI London Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival

A film by Matthew Heineman

“An unforgettable look at how, in the earliest weeks of a monstrously unfamiliar storm, some of the bravest among us persevered.”

Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter

“Both a vital piece of historical record that bravely captures the unseen horrors of the pandemic and a generous celebration of human dignity whose existence feels miraculous.”

Tomris Laffly, Variety

Past Appearances

Fri November 19

Q&A with filmmaker Matthew Heineman and subjects from the film: Covid-19 survivor Ahmed Ellis and his wife Alexis Ellis, Dr. Dougé, and Physical Therapist Karl Arabian

Sat November 20

Q&A with The First Wave producers Jenna Millman and Leslie Norville