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| Finding the Magic of Cinema in the Tedium of Quarantine | Finding the Magic of Cinema in the Tedium of Quarantine |
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| For weeks now, billions of people around the world have been quarantined at home, many confined to a routine of cleaning and scrubbing, checking the news and exercising to workout videos. It’s hardly the stuff of great cinema. And yet a group of filmmakers, including some prominent international names, has been making movies about the lockdown experience. | For weeks now, billions of people around the world have been quarantined at home, many confined to a routine of cleaning and scrubbing, checking the news and exercising to workout videos. It’s hardly the stuff of great cinema. And yet a group of filmmakers, including some prominent international names, has been making movies about the lockdown experience. |
| Eight directors from Greece and 14 others from the rest of the world have been commissioned by the Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece to produce three-minute shorts, filmed entirely in lockdown. Participants include the award-winning directors Denis Côté, Albert Serra, and Jia Zhangke, who have presented movies at big international film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin and Toronto. | Eight directors from Greece and 14 others from the rest of the world have been commissioned by the Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece to produce three-minute shorts, filmed entirely in lockdown. Participants include the award-winning directors Denis Côté, Albert Serra, and Jia Zhangke, who have presented movies at big international film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin and Toronto. |
| Some of the shorts are elaborately shot in black and white, and make poetic or literary references; others are deliberately humdrum and hastily filmed with a cellphone. Either way, the images are of messy interiors, masks and hand sanitizer, wet floors and dripping ceilings, toilet bowls and television screens. | Some of the shorts are elaborately shot in black and white, and make poetic or literary references; others are deliberately humdrum and hastily filmed with a cellphone. Either way, the images are of messy interiors, masks and hand sanitizer, wet floors and dripping ceilings, toilet bowls and television screens. |
| The shorts aim to “show the victory of life: that no matter how difficult the situation, the human mind can still breathe freely through cinema,” Jia said in an email exchange from Beijing, where he spent weeks in quarantine. “At an extremely trying time, we need each other’s words and ideas through cinema, most importantly to emphasize the connections.” | The shorts aim to “show the victory of life: that no matter how difficult the situation, the human mind can still breathe freely through cinema,” Jia said in an email exchange from Beijing, where he spent weeks in quarantine. “At an extremely trying time, we need each other’s words and ideas through cinema, most importantly to emphasize the connections.” |
| Jia recalled that after World War II, it was said that there were two kinds of movie directors: those who had experienced the war, and those who had not. The same will be said of directors after this pandemic, he added. “This catastrophe will give us a lot to ponder for a long time to come, and it will reshape our cinema culture,” he said. | Jia recalled that after World War II, it was said that there were two kinds of movie directors: those who had experienced the war, and those who had not. The same will be said of directors after this pandemic, he added. “This catastrophe will give us a lot to ponder for a long time to come, and it will reshape our cinema culture,” he said. |
| The Thessaloniki Film Festival was established in 1960 in Greece’s second-biggest city. The main festival event takes place in November, while a documentary festival is held in March. This year’s was postponed because of the pandemic, as were other film festivals, including Cannes and Tribeca. | The Thessaloniki Film Festival was established in 1960 in Greece’s second-biggest city. The main festival event takes place in November, while a documentary festival is held in March. This year’s was postponed because of the pandemic, as were other film festivals, including Cannes and Tribeca. |
| The idea for the shorts came from the festival’s artistic director, Orestis Andreadakis. After chancing upon an essay he had at home by the French author Georges Perec, titled “Species of Spaces” — a description of the various spaces in the writer’s life, from the blank page, the bedroom and the staircase, to the street and the city — he invited a number of previous festival attendees to read the essay and make a three-minute film inspired by it. (The directors received a small fee for the project, which was funded by the Greek Ministry of Culture.) | The idea for the shorts came from the festival’s artistic director, Orestis Andreadakis. After chancing upon an essay he had at home by the French author Georges Perec, titled “Species of Spaces” — a description of the various spaces in the writer’s life, from the blank page, the bedroom and the staircase, to the street and the city — he invited a number of previous festival attendees to read the essay and make a three-minute film inspired by it. (The directors received a small fee for the project, which was funded by the Greek Ministry of Culture.) |
| To his surprise, all of the directors he reached out to said yes. | To his surprise, all of the directors he reached out to said yes. |
| “The stricter the confinement, the wider the need for communication,” Andreadakis said. “No matter where someone comes from, where someone lives, we are sharing the same fears, the same confinement, the same choices, the same rays of hope.” | “The stricter the confinement, the wider the need for communication,” Andreadakis said. “No matter where someone comes from, where someone lives, we are sharing the same fears, the same confinement, the same choices, the same rays of hope.” |
| “It’s about seeing our similarities through our differences,” he added. | “It’s about seeing our similarities through our differences,” he added. |
| A first set of shorts by eight Greek filmmakers, packaged as “Spaces #1,” was released on YouTube this month. A second set of seven shorts by international directors (“Spaces #2”) was released on Tuesday. Six or seven more will be uploaded in the next few weeks, the organizers said. | A first set of shorts by eight Greek filmmakers, packaged as “Spaces #1,” was released on YouTube this month. A second set of seven shorts by international directors (“Spaces #2”) was released on Tuesday. Six or seven more will be uploaded in the next few weeks, the organizers said. |
| Here are five of the entries. | Here are five of the entries. |
| Visually speaking, this is one of the most polished submissions, though Jia said it was filmed in one day on a cellphone. A masked man visits another (played by the director himself) to discuss a film project, all the while respecting strict coronavirus protocols: temperature checks, no handshakes, and ample use of hand sanitizer. | Visually speaking, this is one of the most polished submissions, though Jia said it was filmed in one day on a cellphone. A masked man visits another (played by the director himself) to discuss a film project, all the while respecting strict coronavirus protocols: temperature checks, no handshakes, and ample use of hand sanitizer. |
| The Argentine filmmaker has submitted a “very short film,” as he describes it in the credits, which starts with an overflowing sink and ends with a flooded staircase. It’s a tapestry of confinement experiences: a sofa turned on its side, a hallway with peeling paint, a fly on the wall, the sound of hammering, and voices on television bemoaning the spread of the pandemic. | The Argentine filmmaker has submitted a “very short film,” as he describes it in the credits, which starts with an overflowing sink and ends with a flooded staircase. It’s a tapestry of confinement experiences: a sofa turned on its side, a hallway with peeling paint, a fly on the wall, the sound of hammering, and voices on television bemoaning the spread of the pandemic. |
| Lynch is an actor-director who played Norm Gunderson in “Fargo,” and more recently featured in “Gran Torino,” “Shutter Island,” and “Crazy Stupid Love.” For his three-minute Thessaloniki short, Lynch filmed himself delivering a Shakespearean monologue on the futility of life while performing a series of pedestrian actions: exercising on a mat, cleaning a toilet, climbing into bed in his pajamas. | Lynch is an actor-director who played Norm Gunderson in “Fargo,” and more recently featured in “Gran Torino,” “Shutter Island,” and “Crazy Stupid Love.” For his three-minute Thessaloniki short, Lynch filmed himself delivering a Shakespearean monologue on the futility of life while performing a series of pedestrian actions: exercising on a mat, cleaning a toilet, climbing into bed in his pajamas. |
| Updated June 5, 2020 | |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| Jones, an American-Israeli documentary maker known for her films about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, shot a short focusing, essentially, on a leaking ceiling. Besides dripping water, there are soaked towels on the floor and peeling plaster, as well as mopping and sweeping — sometimes on split screens. Like a visual artist, Jones then focuses on the stains and blotches on the ceiling as if they were abstract compositions. | Jones, an American-Israeli documentary maker known for her films about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, shot a short focusing, essentially, on a leaking ceiling. Besides dripping water, there are soaked towels on the floor and peeling plaster, as well as mopping and sweeping — sometimes on split screens. Like a visual artist, Jones then focuses on the stains and blotches on the ceiling as if they were abstract compositions. |
| Psillakis, a prominent Greek documentary maker, looks back on his life by filming the contents of his personal library. Sometimes, he lingers on a framed photograph of himself or of his parents and reminisces about his relationship with them. But he mainly focuses on the books, which he compares to past loves: They meant so much at the time, yet would be so hard to reconnect with now. | Psillakis, a prominent Greek documentary maker, looks back on his life by filming the contents of his personal library. Sometimes, he lingers on a framed photograph of himself or of his parents and reminisces about his relationship with them. But he mainly focuses on the books, which he compares to past loves: They meant so much at the time, yet would be so hard to reconnect with now. |