Viral Dreams

Directed by Udi Nir

Just as news of a virus started trending, young Gen-Zers were uploading bright, shiny plans for 2020 online. South African singer/dancer Cassandra announced she'd landed her dream gig onboard a cruise ship. American single-mom/stripper Jessica started a diary of her makeup brand. Tina was pulling out of Germany to vlog her solo cross-continent camper-van adventure. Born with smartphones in hand, this generation was already accustomed to sharing every emotion, thought and meal online, so filmmakers Udi Nir and Sagi Bornstein seized the moment, hit YouTube hard and created a fascinating trip back to the pre-COVID future. Seven people, from India to San Francisco, navigate the emotional spectrum of pandemic denial, shock and acceptance in real time. Plans and partners dramatically change, but so do their ideas about resilience and value in the modern world. Take an addictive look back at a not-so-distant past, when optimism was a given and the future was unmapped.