Covid-19 was officially declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The deadly disease spread so quickly around the world that it could not be contained with known measures. It was the beginning of a two-year state of emergency.

To many, it felt like something out of a disaster movie. This film relates how a number of people across Europe dealt with the crisis. Initially, the world was gripped by fear of this unknown virus that spread through the air that we breathe. In countries like Italy, the number of deaths rose so fast that medical personnel and undertakers were quickly overwhelmed.

The public was sympathetic and supportive. People came out onto their balconies every evening to applaud the efforts of hospital staff. They were clapping for people like Carlo Mosca, a doctor in Brescia, Italy, who spent the first few months of the pandemic in hospital almost non-stop, caring for patients. Many of them died alone, as social distancing rules meant visitors were not allowed. Carlo Mosca didn’t see his family for months so as not to infect them.

When the first wave of the virus subsided, governments across Europe eased restrictions again. After a brief respite, further waves and restrictions followed, but by now, people were growing accustomed to the changes in their daily lives. However, things took a dramatic turn for Carlo Mosca. He was arrested in January 2021 and accused of murdering two patients with coronavirus to free up beds. Carlo Mosca had to remain under house arrest during the trial - while outside, life seemed to be returning to normal.

By now there was a general sense of relief - but it was short-lived. The number of infections shot up again in the fall. Many countries, including France, went back into lockdown. The film follows Aurélie Rhumeur as she and her husband Yves Chuop try to keep their Paris pharmacy running, home-school their daughter Cassandre and provide emotional support while keeping their own fears under control. Like all the protagonists in the documentary, Aurélie films herself - thus providing deep insight into a family life that is slowly disintegrating due to isolation and uncertainty over how long the state of emergency will last.

As the pandemic entered its second year, no one was applauding anymore. Expressions of solidarity gave way to those of frustration and anger. People across Europe took to the streets in anti-government protests, as conspiracy myths spread. Emotions were running high and only slightly eased by the development of a coronavirus vaccination. People were questioning the price they paid for efforts at protection against a deadly virus. Was it too high?

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