Covid Diaries NYC (HBO)

About Covid Diaries NYC (HBO)

COVID DIARIES NYC (HBO), released in 2021, 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 documentary showcases the filmmakers' personal experiences, revealing their struggles with the harsh realities of the pandemic, including the isolation of lockdown, the threats of disease, and the escalating racial tensions. It provides a unique, on-the-ground view of the pandemic through the eyes of those most affected by it.

Making / Production

The documentary was directed by Aracelie Colón, Camille Dianand, Shane Fleming, Arlet Guallpa, and Marcial Pilataxi, under the executive production of Jon Alpert and Keiko Tsuno. Their unfiltered vantage points have been weaved together into a storytelling collage, expressing the fear, sorrow, resilience, and hope they experienced during the onset of the pandemic.

Actors

• Aracelie Colon: As a filmmaker and a subject, Colon portrays the struggles of being a frontline worker during the pandemic.
• Camille Dianand: Another filmmaker and subject, Dianand captures the isolating effects of the lockdown on her family.
• Shane Fleming: Fleming reflects on the impacts of the pandemic and the escalating racial tensions through his film.
• Arlet Guallpa: Guallpa uses her lens to express her experiences and feelings as an Ecuadorian living in the epicenter of the pandemic.
• Marcial Pilataxi: Pilataxi portrays the plight of undocumented immigrants during the pandemic, focusing on their vulnerability and resilience.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was themed around an unprecedented global event- the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It was directed by five young filmmakers aged between 17 and 21.
• The entire documentary was filmed by the subjects themselves as they lived through the events of the pandemic.

Music, Soundtrack

• The documentary's background score is understated, allowing the subjects' actual narratives to hold center stage.