The First Wave (film)

The First Wave is a 2021 American documentary film, directed and produced by Matthew Heineman. The film follows a hospital in New York City, as it battles the COVID-19 pandemic. Alex Gibney serves as an executive producer.

The First Wave
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMatthew Heineman
Produced by
  • Matthew Heineman
  • Jenna Millman
  • Leslie Norville
  • Pete Muller (co-producer)
  • Gene Gallerano (co-producer)
Cinematography
  • Matthew Heineman
  • Ross McDonnell
  • Thorsten Thielow
  • Brian Dawson
  • Alex Pritz
Edited by
  • Francisco Bello
  • Matthew Heineman
  • Gabriel Rhodes
  • David Zieff
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed byNeon
Release dates
  • October 7, 2021 (2021-10-07) (HFF)
  • November 19, 2021 (2021-11-19)
Running time
93 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$62,376[2]

It had its world premiere at the Hamptons Film Festival on October 7, 2021. It is scheduled to be released on November 19, 2021, by Neon.

Synopsis

The film follows a hospital in New York City from March to June 2020, as it battles the COVID-19 pandemic. The film examines structural factors that influenced the initial COVID outbreak and how such factors impact American society more broadly.

Production

In April 2020, it was announced Heineman would direct a documentary film revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on health care workers with Alex Gibney set to serve as an executive producer.[3][4]

Matthew Heineman reached out to a source from his previous film Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, to explore access opportunities at different medical facilities in New York, with Long Island Jewish Medical Center allowing Heineman and his crew to film.[5] Donning the same personal protective equipment as hospital staff, two-person teams deployed to chronicle unfolding events. No crew members contracted the virus during production.[6]

Release

In March 2021, Neon and National Geographic Documentary Films acquired distribution rights to the film.[7] It had its world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 7, 2021.[8] It also screened at the Busan International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival on October 9, 2021.[9][10] It will also screen at AFI Fest in November 2021.[11] It is scheduled to be released in the United States on November 19, 2021.[12] and in the United Kingdom on November 26, 2021, by Dogwoof.[13]

Reception

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 96% based on 27 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website's consensus reads "The First Wave presents a starkly gripping snapshot of a crisis unfolding -- and its grim toll on those who put their lives on the line to fight it".[14] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 85 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[15]

Accolades
Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Philadelphia Film Festival November 4, 2021 Best Documentary Feature The First Wave Won [16]
Critics' Choice Documentary Awards November 14, 2021 Best Science/Nature Documentary The First Wave Nominated [17]
Best Editing Francisco Bello, Matthew Heineman, Gabriel Rhodes, and David Zieff Nominated
Hollywood Music in Media Awards November 17, 2021 Song – Documentary Film Jon Batiste (for the song "Breathe") Nominated [18]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association December 6, 2021 Best Documentary The First Wave Nominated [19]
Cinema Eye Honors March 1, 2022 Outstanding Production Matthew Heineman, Jenna Millman and Leslie Norville Won [20][21]
International Documentary Association March 4, 2022 Pare Lorentz Award Matthew Heineman, Jenna Millman and Leslie Norville Won [22][23]
Best Cinematography Ross McDonnell, Thorsten Thielow, Brian Dawson, Matthew Heineman, and Alex Pritz Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards March 19, 2022 Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures The First Wave Nominated [24]
News and Documentary Emmy Awards September 29, 2022 Best Documentary Won [25]
[26]
Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary Brian Dawson, Matthew Heineman, Ross McDonnell, Alex Pritz, Thorsten Thielow Won
Outstanding Direction: Documentary Matthew Heineman Nominated
Outstanding Editing: Documentary Francisco Bello, Matthew Heineman, Gabriel Rhodes, David Zieff Won
Outstanding Music Composition The First Wave Nominated
Outstanding Sound Nominated
Outstanding Promotional Announcement Nominated

References
  1. "The First Wave". Guild Hall. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  2. "The First Wave (2021)". The Numbers. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  3. Lee, Chris (April 30, 2020). "The Race to Make the First Coronavirus Documentary Has Begun". Vulture. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  4. Thompson, Anne (October 14, 2020). "'Totally Under Control' Documentary: COVID Is Not, and Alex Gibney Found Out Why". IndieWire. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  5. Hinkle, Annette (October 6, 2021). "Documenting A Pandemic: 'The First Wave' Revisits the Fear in New York City in Spring 2020". Sag Harbour Express. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  6. Thompson, Ann (October 6, 2021). "'The First Wave': Why Were Film Festivals Too Scared to Show Matthew Heineman's Covid Doc?". IndieWire. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  7. Carey, Matthew (March 29, 2021). "NatGeo Acquires Director Matthew Heineman's Covid-19-Themed Documentary 'The First Wave,' Plans 2021 Debut". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  8. Hipes, Patrick (August 12, 2021). "Matthew Heineman's Covid Doc 'The First Wave' To Open Hamptons Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  9. "The First Wave". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  10. "The First Wave". BFI London Film Festival. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  11. "AFI Fest 2021 Full Lineup Announced". AFI Fest. October 13, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  12. Hammond, Pete (October 7, 2021). "'The First Wave' Review: Harrowing Covid Documentary Will Give You Chills And Reason To Get Vaccinated – Hamptons Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  13. "The First Wave". Film Distributors Association. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  14. "The First Wave". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  15. "The First Wave". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  16. Costello, Emily (November 4, 2021). "30th Philadelphia Film Festival Award Winners!". Philadelphia Film Society. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  17. Lattanzio, Ryan (October 8, 2021). "'Ascension' and 'Summer of Soul' Lead Critics Choice Documentary Nominations". IndieWire. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  18. "2021 Music in Visual Media Nominations". Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  19. "'Belfast' Finds Everlasting Love with WAFCA Critics" (PDF). Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association. December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  20. Murphy, J. Kim (March 1, 2022). "Flee Wins Top Prize of Outstanding Nonfiction Feature at Cinema Eye Honors for Documentaries". Variety. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  21. Grobar, Matt (November 10, 2021). "'Flee' & 'Summer Of Soul' Lead Cinema Eye Honors Nominations". Deadline. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  22. Thompson, Anne (November 15, 2021). "2021 IDA Awards Nominations Led by 'Summer of Soul' and 'Faya Dayi'". IndieWire. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  23. Hipes, Patrick (January 6, 2022). "IDA Awards Shifts 2022 Ceremony To March As Virtual-Only Event". Deadline. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  24. Pond, Steve (December 10, 2021). "'Ascension,' 'Flee' and 'Summer of Soul' Land Producers Guild Documentary Nominations". TheWrap. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  25. "NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR THE 43RD ANNUAL NEWS & DOCUMENTARY EMMY® AWARDS" (PDF). National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  26. "WINNERS FOR THE DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES OF THE 43rd ANNUAL NEWS & DOCUMENTARY EMMY® AWARDS ANNOUNCED" (PDF). National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
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