- Welcome to POV.
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut.
It's hard to believe the COVID 19 pandemic
is in its third year.
Tonight's film, Wuhan Wuhan takes us to Wuhan, China.
the epicenter of the Coronavirus outbreak
that began back in February of 2020.
This heart-wrenching documentary
gives viewers unprecedented access
into the lives of healthcare workers, hospital employees,
and into the homes of victims affected by the deadly virus.
Wuhan Wuhan follows five gripping stories--
including those of an ER doctor and nurse
tirelessly working to protect patients and staff,
a tenacious mother and son who contract the virus,
and a volunteer driver for medical workers
whose wife is nine-months pregnant.
The film goes beyond the statistics and shows us
the human side of this pandemic
and how it impacted frontline workers, patients, and families
before it became politicized.
Ultimately, the film showcases how people working together
can overcome such a crisis.
Wuhan Wuhan is directed by Canada-based Yung Chang,
whose wide array of interests
are evidenced by the projects he chooses.
He says what drives his filmmaking
are what he calls human stories.
Chang grew up in Whitby, Ontario,
a small town where there were very few people of color.
He often felt like an outcast
and as a result likes to tell stories
where he can give a voice to the voiceless.
Chang's film Up the Yangtze was previously featured on POV.
He says while growing up in Canada, he was influenced
by 1950s and '60s Cinema Vérité,
which is evident in this film,
as his camera always seems to be in the right place
capturing the right moment in time.
Tonight, it's our pleasure to bring you the film
of this small town boy from Canada made good.
Wuhan Wuhan starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.