‘Cooped Up’, or How an Australian Film Predicted a Global Pandemic
The coronavirus outbreak has, for the most part, led the manufacturing of TV shows and movies to a screeching halt. Nonetheless, there are some precious hidden gems on the market that are ready to be watched and simply require some unearthing. Among them lies Kane Guglielmi’s ‘Cooped Up’.
Starring Charles Cottier and Kathryn Beck, the independent Australian movie follows a young wrestler, named Jack, reportedly coming into contact during a trip to China with a doubtlessly deadly respiratory virus. He is then compelled to isolate himself in his childhood dwelling, in Sydney, for twenty-one days where awaits for him a journey to self-discovery and acceptance. During this time, ardor blossoms between Jack and epidemiologist Dr. Emily Mundy who visits him to check on his health condition. She is often wearing personal protective equipment; which is, during the current pandemic, in incredibly high demand and in shortage as it keeps infection at bay. The movie exposes the challenges and claustrophobia of living in a confined space, a situation now familiar all around the world.
Despite being released in 2016, the heart-tugging film unknowingly and accurately predicted the coronavirus pandemic by using it as an integral part of its storyline. Little did the Aussie director know that his novelty project, at the time deemed as a quirky romantic comedy by critics, would turn out to be, four years on, eerily close to the mark with the COVID-19 strain: “It was a complete coincidence. It was quite an unusual concept and given the fact that we had a limited budget, we were looking for an idea that could be made in a contained space and we decided to run with it. I find it very bizarre that our film lines up with what’s going on in the world today”. He surely did not have the slightest inkling that his far-fetched idea would end up being prophetic as he mentions “Once I made ‘Cooped Up’, I by no means dreamt its idea would develop into an actual reality for millions of people worldwide. Throughout this time, my hope is that it turns into a feel-good distraction for everybody in want of a bit of light-heartedness.”
