MTV Documentary Films acquired the documentary “76 Days,” directed by Hao Wu, Weixi Chen, and Anonymous, currently playing at the 29th Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF).

The head of MTV Documentary Films, Shelia Nevins, served as documentary feature jury member for HIFF and acquired the film during the 11-day festival run. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“It came as a big, pleasant surprise that MTV Documentary Films acquired ‘76 Days’ during the Heartland International Film Festival. Even in our challenging time of COVID-19, film festivals are continuing to play a crucial role in supporting independent films and filmmakers,” said Hao Wu. “I’m extremely grateful to Artistic Director Greg Sorvig and the Heartland International Film Festival team for having made this acquisition possible.”

Raw and intimate, the documentary captures the struggles of patients and frontline medical professionals battling the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, and is one of five Documentary Feature Finalists in competition for the $20,000 Grand Prize for Documentary Feature at HIFF.

Two of Hao Wu’s previous films screened at previous Heartland Film festivals, “The People’s Republic of Desire” (2018 HIFF Official Selection) and “All In My Family” (2019 Indy Shorts Official Selection), and he credits Heartland Film for making this distribution deal possible.