About Totally Under Control

Totally Under Control is a gripping documentary aired in 2020. This docudrama unveils the haphazard response of the U.S. government to the COVID-19 pandemic. Directed by Alex Gibney, Ophelia Harutyunyan, and Suzanne Hillinger, it provides a close look at the pandemic and the administrative failures that escalated the crisis.

Making / Production

The production of Totally Under Control was a challenging task since much of the documentary had to be filmed during the strict lockdown conditions. The three directors used a specially developed "COVID-cam" to capture interviews from a safe distance, demonstrating an innovative way of storytelling during an active pandemic.

Actors

Being a documentary, Totally Under Control features a host of politicians, public health officials, medical professionals and whistleblowers. Some of them include:

• Dr. Rick Bright: a whistleblower who warned the government about the virus.
  He played his part with sincerity and insight into the unfolding crisis.
• Dr. Taison Bell: a critical care and infectious disease specialist,
  His accounts provided a raw and practical perspective.
• Alex Azar: U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services,
  He is seen in archival footage portraying his role in handling the crisis.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was shot in secret over five months.
• The film was released just two weeks before the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election.

Quotes

• "It's going to disappear. One day it's like a miracle, it will disappear.", a phrase uttered by President Donald Trump about the virus.
• "We could have gotten through this pandemic with much less loss of life and suffering if it had been managed in a way that was commensurate with the severity of the threat.", a powerful statement made by Dr. Rick Bright.

Music & Soundtrack

The music and soundtrack is composed by Yovani Carlo, subtly enhancing the intense and grave ambiance of the documentary.