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We got the science right: 'Contagion' maker on renewed focus on film post coronavirus outbreak

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Press Trust of India Los Angeles

The coronavirus outbreak has brought Steven Soderbergh's 2011 medical thriller "Contagion" back into the focus and the film's producer says they have been proven right in their predictions.

The film chronicled how the humanity battles the spread of a virus transmitted by fomites as medical researchers and public health officials try to contain the disease.

It has become relevant after outbreak of novel coronavirus or COVID-19, which originated in China and has now spread to over 60 countries, including the US, where it has claimed the lives of 12 people.

Talking to Buzzfeed News, producer Michael Shamberg said, "It was very deliberately designed to be a cautionary film. We got the science right."

The film, which featured an ensemble cast Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, and Jennifer Ehle, is experiencing a renaissance on many streaming services.

 

"Is it giving (people) comfort? Well, it shows that ultimately there will be a solution and humanity will recover... If it's scary, it's only meant to scare people into taking precautions and it's only meant to scare the infrastructure into doing the right thing," Shamberg said.

"We're not trying to scare people that they're all going to die. We're trying to scare people that you can do something," he added.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

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First Published: Mar 06 2020 | 5:20 PM IST

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