Understanding our COVID crisis
Showmax adds edu-tainment documentaries to your streaming line-up with these COVID-19 productions.
Confused by all the medical jargon in the media and online as you try to understand the global pandemic that’s kept us at home for over two years? Not sure which vaccination is the best, how they differ, and why the COVID-19 virus is mutating at an alarming rate? Fear no more – Showmax has added doccies to its catalogue that’ll help you understand COVID better, see what damage it’s done since 2020, and have you entering 2022 ready to do battle (and hopefully defeat) this vicious virus as we try to survive.
IN THE SAME BREATH
Doccie filmmaker Nanfu Wang (she made Asian doccie One Child Nation – also available on Showmax) compares the reactions and behaviours of the United States and China during the start of the global pandemic in this documentary film. And there’s a very worrying parallel. Throw in misinformation directly from China’s government, then-President Trump tantruming his way through speeches and telling people to drink bleach, denial about COVID being manufactured in a Chinese research lab in Wuhan and you’ve got a alarming inside look at how unprepared the world really was for COVID. during COVID’s early lockdown days? How about being stuck on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in January 2020 when the novel coronavirus first broke out! More than 70% of the 1 000 passengers were struck down by the virus and they were locked in their cabins for quarantine. The cabin crew were given medical training over the phone and fresh food was delivered by helicopter, turning the Diamond Princess crew into essential frontline workers overnight.
the most recent developments in physics, science, biology and other fields of research around the world. There are three episodes dedicated to the coronavirus, including how to best protect yourself when you’re out in the world, what the virus is and how it became a global pandemic, as well as a closer look at the race to create the vaccines that are now saving our lives. Episodes are under 20 minutes each so it’s an easy binge – and filled with educational tools for your younger ones that won’t scare them – plus, it will better prepare you to answer their questions about the virus. Other episodes include how the first-ever images of a blackhole were captured in deep space, the origins of mankind (there are two episodes, including a special filmed at the Cradle Of Humandkind on Johannesburg’s West Rand, and our Climate Crisis.
UNITED APART SA: LOCKDOWN REMEMBERED
South Africans are a breed apart. We do things our way and that’s the right way (we think). Until government took away our garage pies and roast chickens from the shops at the start of our national lockdown in March 2020 – that hit a nerve. What went from a planned 21-day nationwide quarantine to stop the virus turned into an economydestroying restriction that will go way past 700 days as the world is still combating COVID. But the thing is, we’re not giving up. South Africans’ spirits will take a lickin’, but we keep on tickin’ and this locally made documentary film looks at how our nation has fought back and protected our most vulnerable citizens from COVID and worse, while also being forced to deal with things like loadshedding and rising oil prices.
THE DAY SPORTS STOOD STILL
Award-winning director-producer Antoine Fuqua (social consciousness doccie movie #Freerayshawn) zooms his camera lens on the world of sport and how it was affected by COVID-19 in the United States specifically during the early days of the pandemic. But it’s so much more than a sports doccie – Antoine reveals how athletes across the country, led by the National Basketball Association’s stars including LeBron James and his LA Lakers team – used their lockdown restrictions and being forced to play games behind closed doors to highlight social movements including #BlackLivesMatter that became global terms following racial injustices that flared up across the country.
South African performance arts were among the hardest hit by the government’s COVID-19 restrictions. No plays, no shows, no live musical performances – even going to the movies was banned. Performers around the country were forced to come up with novel ideas to make money and many used online performances and specials
Five rising filmmakers in New York City turn the cameras on themselves for once. We’re not talking about established creators in the film industry – the youngest is 17 and they’re more able and talented than most of us were at that age. And they’re telling their stories and that of their families as they try to make it through the first few days of COVID-19 lockdown in
New York in 2020. There’s also a bonus section in the 37-minute doccie called My COVID Breakdown that reveals their personal struggles as they fight just to put food on their plates at night. One “star” will have you crying tears, saying that “we clean out garbage bins to make money. We dig through trash to put food on our tables.” These are real people, telling their very real stories.
as a way to earn a living. Even openair events were banned until the start of 2021 and then with heavy restrictions in place.
This family drama movie is perfect for the post-Christmas period as we come back down to Earth and have to deal with more restrictions. In art imitating life, a group of Thespians hold hands and take on COVID headon to save their Christmas. As usual, there are egos and attitudes to deal with, but once the troupe are able to put that aside, it’s laughter, singing and merriment all the way home in this local movie.
Did you know? This movie was filmed at the iconic Fugard Theatre in Cape Town. At the time, the theatre was temporarily closed by COVID-19 restrictions but closed its doors permanently in March 2021.