'Covid Diaries NYC': Live stream, release date, plot, trailer and all you need to know about HBO's short documentary on pandemic
COVID-19 still continues to ravage the globe, but that hasn't stopped filmmakers from using the pandemic as an integral part of their quest to create absorbing content. 'Covid Diaries NYC' from HBO is the latest documentary to focus on the epidemic and is all set to debut in March. Executive produced by Carrie Penner, Perri Peltz, and Matthew O’Neill, the short documentary deals with five young filmmakers who tell the stories of their families during the first wave of the pandemic in New York City. Here's everything you need to know about the much-anticipated film.
Release Date
'Covid Diaries NYC' releases March 9, 2021, on HBO at 9 pm ET. The documentary is also available for streaming on HBO Max.
Plot
The official synopsis of the documentary reads: "Covid Diaries NYC chronicles the lives of five young filmmakers, ranging in age from 17 to 21, who turn their cameras on themselves to tell the stories of their families during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. The deeply personal film illuminates the plight of essential workers and their families during the early days of the COVID-19 crisis as they navigate the deadly virus and a country riven by social upheaval." Each of the five chapters by each filmmaker has been titled separately with independent summaries for each. Sequentially, they are:
'The Only Way to Live in Manhattan'
"The opening story follows Marcial Pilataxi, who lives with and helps his grandmother at a building where she works as the superintendent. The family wrestles with the increasing amounts of tenants’ garbage because of those sheltering at home. Marcial makes food deliveries and tries to maintain normalcy with his friends as the city he knows changes against the backdrop of the pandemic and a city torn apart by unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s murder."
'My COVID Breakdown'
"The tale of Aracelie Colón, who struggles with her mental health as her father continues to go to work at the post office every day while the threat of the virus looms."
'When My Dad Got COVID'
"Camille Dianand, who is concerned about her father, [is] a subway mechanic for the MTA. After a coworker dies from the virus, her father contracts COVID-19 and the family faces life and death terror."
'No Escape From New York'
This portion follows "Shane Fleming, whose parents lose their jobs, leaving the family worrying about mounting bills, growing debt, and their need to move out of New York City. They decide to go on a road trip to escape their problems, but the issues his mother and father face follow them wherever they go."
'Frontline Family'
"Arlet Guallpa, who watches with her family as ambulance after ambulance arrives at their apartment building in Washington Heights to take away residents who die from the virus. Despite their fears, her parents, a bus driver and home care attendant, carry on with work and try to overcome their anxieties about their family’s exposure."
How to live stream?
'Covid Diaries' can also be watched on HBO Max, the network's streamer site. At $14.99/month, viewers can access unlimited content and can view it on their devices of choice. YouTube TV, Hulu, Spectrum, and AT&T are the alternate options to consider to access HBO content.
Creators
Marcial Pilataxi, Aracelie Colón, Camille Dianand, Shane Fleming, Arlet Guallpa, and Rosemary Colón-Martinez serve as the five young filmmakers.
Trailer
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