Short Film Shows Wuhan’s Hauntingly Deserted Streets Amid Coronavirus Lockdown
Video screenshot via KernelNguyen / Shutterstock.com
Wuhan, where the COVID-19 started spreading, is currently on lockdown as an attempt to prevent the novel virus from traveling. Filmmaker Lan Bo has revealed a short film, Wuhan: The Long Night, which presents an inside look into the city.
On 23 January 2020, almost a month after the World Health Organization was informed about the emergence of the coronavirus, the city was sealed off.
Bo and his film crew, who visited Wuhan for a feature film shoot, were soon left stranded in the city. Their videographer Xie Dan began recording the city on his phone, which inspired the team to create a short film showcasing the daily lives of the residents in Wuhan.
“Since the lockdown, there hasn’t been a video presenting such a panoramic view,” Bo told Sixth Tone. “I feel that these are going to be valuable images for historical reference and other documentaries.”
From closed shops to empty streets, Wuhan: The Long Night offers a glimpse into the first week of Wuhan’s lockdown. Towards the end of the film, a man is seen peering out of his window as he sings the popular Chinese song, My Motherland and Me. The clip finally ends with the message, “Don’t give up, Wuhan.”
The video has since gone viral on Chinese platform Weibo, prompting Bo to make a full-length documentary on Wuhan’s lockdown.
[via Dazed, video screenshot via KernelNguyen / Shutterstock.com]
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