THE FIRST WAVE

This film provides an intimate look into one of New York’s most brutally hit hospital systems during the first four months of the pandemic. Oscar-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning director, Matthew Heineman, uses The First Wave to spotlight the everyday heroes at the epicenter of COVID-19. This once-in-a-century pandemic changed the fabric of our daily lives and exposed long-standing inequities in our society. Employing his signature approach of character-driven cinema vérité, Heineman embeds with a group of doctors, nurses, and patients on the frontlines as they all desperately try to navigate the crisis. With each distinct storyline serving as a microcosm through which we can view the emotional and societal impacts of the pandemic, The First Wave is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.