Coronavirus docos on iwonder

Harry Fitzgerald

Documentary streaming platform, iwonder, has recently released two documentaries on coronavirus, Coronavirus & Me and What’s It Like to Catch Coronavirus?

Episode Two of Coronavirus & Me, weaves together the different experiences and perspectives of everyday Australians’ response to the COVID-19 crisis, available to view now at iwonder, on iwonder’s Facebook page and in the iwonder area at 7Plus.com.au.

What’s It Like to Catch Coronavirus? follows the journeys of five families and individuals as they experience first-hand the uncomfortable and often frightening effects of being infected with a virus we still know so little about.

iwonder Co-Founder & CEO, James Bridges, says: “Where Coronavirus & Me Episode One revealed Australia’s anxious state of mind as the nation plunged towards the unknown, Episode Two shows that although there are still tough times ahead on the road to recovery, Australians’ resilience and optimism is alive and well. However, with fears of a second wave of COVID-19 underpinning our cautious return to normalcy, What’s It Like to Catch Coronavirus? is an important reminder of how dangerous and frightening this virus continues to be and how crucial it is to keep our guard up as we rush to welcome restrictions coming down.”

Coronavirus & Me, Episode Two
With Episode One of iwonder’s first original user-generated documentary capturing the fear and uncertainty of being plunged into a global pandemic and a looming domestic crisis, Episode Two delivers a warm dose of optimism, love and unexpected creativity emerging from a period few imagined would deliver anything but darkness.

Following on from their appearance in Episode One, Jason from the Central Coast, his 87-year old mother with Alzheimer’s disease, and his family return with an update on their unique experience of going from crushing isolation to feeling the warmth of a global community of millions of TV and social media viewers touched by their story.

From a single Facebook post capturing a home-shopping experience setup to create some semblance of normalcy and routine for his ailing mother, Jason and Oma’s story went viral overnight. Eventually reaching an audience of over 30 million people worldwide, and capturing the attention of news media in Australia and internationally, people from all corners of the globe reached out to Jason and his family to thank them for helping to inspire them through their own tough times.

Nancy from Sydney tells the touching story of her two-year-old daughter’s painful separation from her grandmother, the two of whom share an incredibly close bond. Reunited after more than seven weeks forced apart by the strict social distancing rules at the height of the pandemic, little Siena’s reaction as the door opens to reveal her grandmother is one of the most beautiful and moving things to behold against the backdrop of months of loneliness and isolation experienced by millions of Australians.

Recently signed by EMI Music, star-in-the-making singer/songwriter Harry, from Sydney, shares the story of how he found his own path through the darkness of COVID-19 by pouring his longing for a return to happier times into a new song. Inspired by a phone call with a friend to find a way to escape from the feelings of frustration and anxiety induced by home lockdown, the song ‘Better Thoughts’ flowed out almost effortlessly. Joined by his friends lip-syncing to his new song from their homes, Harry’s story shows how optimism, hope and a conscious decision not to succumb to negativity can lead to the creation of something joyous.

Production credits:
Alex Weinress, Director & Editor – Hixon Films
Catherine Weinress, Producer – Hixon Films
James Bridges, Executive Producer – iwonder
Alexandra Fox-Hughes, Head of Content – iwonder
Maud Villanueva, Graphic Designer – iwonder
Rose Mackenzie-Peterson, Sound Editor – Trackdown
Fred El-Harris, Colourist – Filmotion Pty Ltd
Motion Graphics, Filmotion Pty Ltd

What’s It Like to Catch Coronavirus?
Investigating what it’s like to catch Coronavirus, five families and individuals from different backgrounds film themselves battling the virus. With so much still unknown about COVID-19 and how each person’s immune system will respond, the film shows in frightening detail the panic and alarm of struggling to breath caused by the virus’s attack on the respiratory system, to the heartbreak of losing a loved one to the pandemic and the process of grieving during isolation and social distancing.

Scientists and experts help to explain their symptoms and how the disease progresses, and why some people are affected so much more seriously than others.