China's first anti-pandemic documentary film Days and Nights in Wuhan, directed by Cao Jinling, has received widespread attention prior to its release in China on Jan 22. Bai Yansong, a renowned host for China Central Television, said that this film allows us to see the more moving aspects of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, as the pandemic has reemerged in Hebei, Heilongjiang and other provinces in China, we can feel the value of life and love more deeply and be encouraged to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic more courageously.
More than 30 local photographers spent several months recording the front-line situation in the fight against the pandemic in Wuhan. This film runs 95 minutes and depicts real events. Before Chinese New Year in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. On Jan 23, 2020, Wuhan announced a lockdown. Nine million people in Wuhan, together with medical staff and front-line workers from all over the country, started to fight against the pandemic. This film mainly tells the touching stories of medical workers, patients, patients' families and volunteers during the 76 days and nights in Wuhan's lockdown.
The highlight of this film is that it reveals how the experiences of ordinary people in the anti-pandemic campaign are actually close to our hearts and lives. The film has no voice-over and instead features actual dialogues. These daily conversations make it easier for the audience to feel the humanity in the situation. Although the Chinese people do not know what will happen in the future, they are still willing to believe in miracles and bring hope to others. Everyone shines a little light. As long as we gather together, we can light up the darkness and warm the winter. More importantly, this film also vividly reveals China's great spirit in combating the COVID-19 pandemic —— putting lives first as well as the nationwide solidarity, sacrifice, respect for science and sense of mission for humanity.
The film shows the couple Tu Shengjin and Cao Shan, who worked at the front line for countless families, but never stepped into their own house. In order to arrive on time and protect their families, they could only sleep in the car outside the hospital.
Wang Ziyi organized an emergency rescue team to send pregnant women in labor to the hospital. She hoped that all the babies would not be infected. She expected that the pandemic would end as soon as possible, and then everyone could take off their masks and take a look at each other.
"It is the will to live that defeats the coronavirus." The child's voice emanated from the little pink radio on the pillow of Shi Changjiang every day. From classical Chinese poems to nursery rhymes, every word expressed the grandson's hopes that his grandfather would recover and reunite with the family. With his grandson's support, Shi Changjiang survived with a tenacious will after 95 days of treatment. At the end of the film, he reads poems with his grandson together at home.
Meng Xianming bravely fought against the coronavirus with the determination and optimism of Chinese veterans. He called doctors and nurses "people braving the enemy's fire".
Wang Fengjiao was admitted to the hospital after giving birth to her second child. When she was in a coma, she heard someone saying to her: "Your child is all right! Hold on!" It was this voice that supported her. She said that she really wanted to live.
Days and Nights in Wuhan does not show us too much about death. But we still see that patients' families were crying anxiously outside the hospital. We see that Li Chao, who was admitted to the hospital with his parents and grandmother, was finally left alone. We see that the head nurse Su Jie could not take a last look at her father. We see that the doctor said to families of deceased patients that "we really did our best".
But we also see that light is coming through.
Li Chao donated his father's body for medical study. Patients and medical workers in the field hospital did square dancing together. Doctors painted plum blossoms on their protective clothing. Citizens all wore masks and lined up at an interval of at least one meter. After 76 days and nights, Wuhan was revived.
From medical workers to volunteers, from patients to patients' families, Days and Nights in Wuhan reveals not only the process of fighting against the pandemic, but also, more importantly, the great anti-pandemic spirit of the Chinese people. What happened in Wuhan is like what we have experienced in 2020 -- China has gradually returned to normal, thanks to united efforts from everyone. Greatness is forged in the ordinary moments, when average people emerge as heroes.
Days and Nights in Wuhan tells us that although there is much suffering in life, we should live with love and courage and cherish every day. The experiences portrayed in the film also provide the world with a clear picture of how to prevent the pandemic. The famous Chinese actor and director Xu Zheng hoped that the film can be released all over the world, so that people from around the globe can see how strong the Chinese people are, and how respectful they are of life. 2020 has witnessed the great anti-pandemic spirit in China. The Chinese people will move forward bravely in 2021, and China will continue to make new miracles and inspire the world.
