The First Wave 2021 With exclusive access inside one of New Yorks hardest hit hospital systems during the terrifying first four months of the pandemic, Oscar nominated and Emmy Award winning director Matthew Heinemans THE FIRST WAVE spotlights the everyday heroes at the epicenter of COVID 19 as they come together to fight one of the greatest threats the world has ever encountered Leaving a devastating trail of death and despair, this once in a century pandemic changed the very fabric of our daily lives and exposed long standing inequities in our society Employing his signature approach of character driven cinema verite, Heineman embeds with a group of doctors, nurses and patients on the frontlines as they all desperately try to navigate the crisis With each distinct storyline serving as a microcosm through which we can view the emotional and societal impacts of the pandemic, THE FIRST WAVE is a testament to the strength of the human spirit