Project September 28, 2015
We Want You to Live: Liberia's Fight Against Ebola
Country:
The documentary follows one community's fight for survival against Ebola through the eyes of Liberians on the frontlines battling to bring the outbreak to an end. The film follows four characters over the course of three months in their struggles against the disease.
Mabel and her team are spearheading the fight against the spreading outbreak. While cases are dropping in Monrovia, the virus has found its way into remote villages in eastern Liberia, where the fight has become a door to door battle against an invisible enemy. By day, Mabel picks up suspected Ebola cases; by night she returns to her regular job as a nurse.
During one of her searches for Ebola victims, she comes across three people emerging from the bush–Tawoo, his aunt Ponawenee, and his mother Gbelawoh. There is fear in their eyes because they know that Ebola is a numbers game. As much as Tawoo will pray, as much as Ponawenee will fight, Ebola will greedily claim every life.
The anger of the people of Taylor's Town is pointed at one person who they say is responsible for introducing the virus: Stanley. Stanley brought his sick son back to the village – a fateful decision that wiped out his entire family and eventually cost 14 lives.
These characters are interconnected through their relationships, their attachment to the rural Bong County of Liberia, and their experiences in fighting Ebola. Filmmaker Carl Gierstorfer follows them through their journeys, exploring the human toll of the deadly disease.
Produced by DOCDAYS Productions in co-production with Al Jazeera America and SWR in collaboration with ARTE. Produced with support of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Sales: PBS International
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