The First Wave

Nov 19, 2021

1h 34m

★ 6.6

Four months, New York City, 2020.

Overview

When Covid-19 hit New York City in 2020, filmmaker Matthew Heineman gained unique access to one of New York’s hardest-hit hospital systems. The resulting film focuses on the doctors, nurses, and patients on the frontlines during the “first wave” from March to June 2020. Their distinct storylines each serve as a microcosm to understand how the city persevered through the worst pandemic in a century

Genres

Documentary

History

Production Companies

National Geographic

Our Time Projects

Participant

National Geographic Documentary Films

The First Wave Trailers

Cast

Self

Nathalie Dougé

Self - Ahmed's Wife

Alexis Ellis

Self

Kellie Wunsch

Self

Brussels Jabon

Self - Brussels' Husband

Naph Jabon

Self - Brussels' Sister

Athens Garrote

Self (archive footage)

Andrew Cuomo

Self

Michael Dowling

Self (archive footage)

Al Sharpton

Self

Karl Arabian

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6.4

The Last Cruise

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Using intimate footage recorded by passengers and crew, The Last Cruise is a first-person account of the nightmare that transpired aboard the ill-fated Diamond Princess cruise ship, which set sail from Japan on the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

No Image

7.5

Les patients

Mar 18, 1990

The story of the last month of work of a popular generalist doctor of Reims. Just before his retirement. The film shows the doctor with his old patients, or alcoholics anonymous he had follow.

6.6

Death Scream

Sep 26, 1975

Loosely based on the true story of the killing of Kitty Genovese: A young woman's murder is witnessed by fifteen of her neighbors who do nothing to help and refuse to cooperate with the police.

8.7

32 Pills: My Sister's Suicide

Nov 29, 2017

Traces the life and mental illness of New York artist and photographer Ruth Litoff, and her sister's struggle to come to terms with her tragic suicide.

0.0

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When the COVID-19 pandemic puts the world on lockdown, photographer Spencer Tunick reinvents his art to find a way to bring everyone together while staying apart.

10.0

The Boy Who Found Gold

Nov 4, 2016

William Hart McNichols is a world renowned artist, heralded by Time magazine as "among the most famous creators of Christian iconic images in the world". As a young Catholic priest from 1983-1990 he was immersed in a life-altering journey working as a chaplain at St. Vincent's AIDS hospice in New York city. It was during this time that he became an early pioneer for LGBT rights within the Catholic church. "The Boy Who Found Gold" is a cinematic journey into the art and spirit of William Hart McNichols. The film follows his colorful life as he crosses paths with presidents, popes, martyrs, and parishioners, finding an insightful lesson with each encounter. McNichols' message as a priest, artist and man speaks to the most powerful element of the human spirit: Mercy.

5.5

Fight Church

Sep 16, 2014

A documentary about the confluence of Christianity and mixed martial arts, including ministries which train fighters. The film follows several pastors and popular fighters in their quest to reconcile their faith with a sport that many consider violent and barbaric. Faith is tried and questions are raised. Can you really love your neighbor as yourself and then punch him in the face?

5.0

Grey Matter

Jun 5, 2017

We follow neurosurgeons Clemens Dirven and Arnoud Vincent of the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam in this documentary during the treatment of three patients with a brain tumor.

0.0

S&M: Sweat and Muscle - The Dominatrix Workout

Jan 1, 1996

An hour-long workout with a BDSM theme on a NYC rooftop, taught by a variety of instructors.

8.0

7291

Nov 13, 2024

No overview available.

0.0

Lockedout

Apr 30, 2020

A short documentary about a homeless couple who face the ban on being on the street during 2020 quarantine. Just through their eyes, the two protagonists show us a different Milan, silent and suspended.

No Image

10.0

Democracy Is ...

Jan 31, 2009

The film is a controversy on democracy. Is our society really democratic? Can everyone be part of it? Or is the act of being part in democracy dependent to the access on technology, progression or any resources of information, as philosophers like Paul Virilio or Jean Baudrillard already claimed?

3.0

Six feet of separation

Mar 5, 2020

Millions of people forced into solitude for months, struggling with the anxiety, loneliness, and fear of losing everything they have.

0.0

Wealth of a Nation

Jan 1, 1964

"This film explores how freedom of speech — including dissent — is afforded to all Americans, and shows freedom of expression in art, music, dance, architecture, and science. The film also emphasizes the importance of the individual’s contribution to the whole of society and demonstrates how a productive and creative society is formed by the open and respectful exchange of ideas. The film was written, produced, and directed by William Greaves" (National Archives).

No Image

0.0

Contract

Jan 27, 2008

Documentary about the nurses' strike in Finland on autumn 2007.

7.5

Style Wars

Jan 23, 1984

Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant's PBS documentary tracks the rise and fall of subway graffiti in New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

0.0

Pretty Ugly: The Story of the Lunachicks

Apr 24, 2026

Punk music icons, Lunachicks, reunite after 20 years in an unfiltered, hilarious, and electric documentary. Packed with rare archival footage, the film traces their rise from gritty NYC teens to feminist trailblazers of the 90s grunge era. Fans and newcomers alike will thrill as the band recounts old antics, rekindles bonds, and embarks on their long-awaited journey back to the stage.