15 Days - The Real Story of Americas Pandemic School Closures

15 DAYS: The Real Story of America’s Pandemic School Closures. directed by Natalya Murakhver and produced with Hawk Jensen and Eli Steele, is a documentary revealing why America's school closures lasted longer than almost any other nation. Murakhver, an NYC "Open Schools" mom who filed a lawsuit against Mayor Bill de Blasio to reopen schools during the pandemic, connected with parents and medical experts across the nation engaged in similar fights in their cities and towns.

Framed as a forensic analysis of what happened to children during school closures, it blends Murakhver's perspective as a Soviet immigrant with voices of children and families nationwide, exposing devastating learning loss, mental health crises, and inequality. The film challenges the narrative that "we did the best we could with the info we had" by revealing that key science was available and ignored, and examining how unions and activists influenced the crisis.

Featuring President Trump's former COVID advisor Stanford’s Dr. Scott Atlas, Stanford epidemiologist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, former NPR reporter Anya Kamenetz, author Martin Gurri, tech addiction expert Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, USC's Dr. Morgan Polikoff, legendary NYC basketball coach Ron Naclerio, and Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice, the film examines how $189.5 billion in federal ESSER funds for schools was tied to extended closures, leading to devastating social and academic outcomes for children.

15 DAYS preserves the voices of those who fought to reopen schools and serves as a historical record to protect future generations.

The film is dedicated to Noah Sylvester, who, as a high schooler, suffered immensely during the school closures and took his own life in May 2025 at the age of 21.

https://www.15daysfilm.com/