Ahead of next week's release of The First Wave, check out some of the amazing reviews on this essential, compassionate film documenting the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic as experienced by New York City’s emergency medical workers.
“A compassionate, heart-in-mouth study of first responders in New York City in the opening months of the crisis.”
The Guardian
“An intimate portrait” - Critic’s Pick
The New York Times
“A breathtaking testament to the fight to live, the calling to heal, and the power of human connection.”
The Hollywood Reporter
★★★★★
“The must-see documentary of the decade”
Music City Drive-In
“Breathless, soul-piercing… a courageous and astonishing cinematic time capsule.”
Variety
“A must-see.”
The Wrap
“An emotional rollercoaster that will bring a tear to the viewer'‘s eye on more than one occasion” - The Upcoming
“The First Wave is the Schindler’s List of documentaries this decade”
The Hot Button
With exclusive access to one of New York’s hardest hit hospital systems, Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award–winning director Matthew Heineman’s THE FIRST WAVE spotlights the everyday heroes at the epicentre of COVID-19 as they come together to fight one of the greatest threats the world has ever encountered. Leaving a devastating trail of death and despair, this once-in-a-century pandemic changed the very fabric of daily life and exposed long-standing inequities in our society. The “first wave” of COVID-19 ravaged New York from March through June 2020. With Heineman’s signature approach of character-driven cinema vérité, THE FIRST WAVE documents those harrowing first four months, embedding with a group of doctors, nurses, and patients on the frontlines as they all navigated the crisis. Their distinct storylines each serve as a microcosm through which we can view the emotional and societal impacts of the pandemic, and are a testament to the strength of the human spirit.