Wuhan film captures horror and humanity at coronavirus ground zero

'76 Days' – named for the duration of the central Chinese city's draconian lockdown – is the first major documentary from the disease's original epicenter to hit theatres. Photo: Handout

Back in February, when few Americans were aware of a distant and oddly named phenomenon called coronavirus, two Chinese filmmakers strapped on hazmat suits and embedded themselves in Wuhan's overrun hospitals.

There, they captured harrowing footage of terrified citizens hammering on hospital doors, medics collapsing from exhaustion and relatives begging in vain to say goodbye to infected loved ones.