One of the directors of a remarkable new documentary, “76 Days“, Hao Wu (“People’s Republic of Desire”) is the guest. 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 in four hospitals, “76 Days” tells indelible human stories at the center of this pandemic—from a woman begging in vain to bid a final farewell to her father, a grandfather 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. These raw and intimate stories bear witness to the death and rebirth of a city under a 76-day lockdown, and to the human resilience that persists in times of profound tragedy. “76 Days” is available at virtual cinemas such as NYC’s Film Forum. Check the film’s website for more details.
The creative duo behind a new dark indie comedy called “The Planters“, Hannah Leder & Alexandra Kotcheff, are the guests. “The Planters” follows Martha Plant (Kotcheff), an awkward telemarketer who’s down and out– sucking at her job and grieving her recently deceased parents. When she finds unlikely friendship in Sadie Mayflower (Leder), a bubbly vagrant with multiple personalities, Martha discovers having three friends in one may be more than she bargained for. The film’s cast is rounded out by New York theater actor Phil Parolisi, and cinema veteran Pepe Serna (Scarface, Downsizing) in supporting roles. The film is now available on various streaming platforms.
