Sickly
From the Archives
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30-Nov-2021
Anxiously convinced his flu-like symptoms could be something much worse, a luckless Brooklynite searches for medical care. Byron Leon directs “Sickly,” a tense ride through New York City that was unbelievably made before the Covid-19 pandemic. After coming down with a bad cough and a high fever, the man is convinced he needs to go to the hospital. His gamer roommate casually dissuades him of that (“have you been to a hospital?”), instead suggesting a walk-in clinic in the city. The sickly man takes his advice and heads off into the night, where he blazes a trail through irritated Uber drivers and nurse receptionists; express trains and insurance problems add to the chaos. Leon’s film plays like a thriller, shot on film, often using long lens’, and it’s a hugely prescient film that reflects with our current moment of health panic. -KA.
Director: Byron Leon. Producer: Alexandria Sherman. Starring: Michael San Juan. Director of Photography: Robert Bevis. Production Design: Katie Friedman. Editors: Jacob Gordon, Byron Leon.
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