On October 10th, GLAAD Media Institute alum Alec Fischer won four Upper Midwest Regional Emmys for his documentary series Covid Confessions: 75 People Share Their Experiences Working During the Pandemic.
Fischer’s Covid Confessions won Emmys in the following categories: Community Service, Business/Consumer- Short or Long Form Content, Health/Medical- Short Form Content, and Politics/Government- Short Form Content.
Fischer also received nominations in the Arts & Entertainment- Short Form Content, Education/Schools- Short or Long Form Content, Director- Short or Long Form Content, and Editor- Short or Long Form Content categories.
The series, released earlier this year, casts a light on the experiences of essential workers during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Fischer spent months interviewing 75 Minnesotans from all walks of life. The documentary combines powerful testimony with the intimacy of confessional style interviews. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the difficulties many have faced in the last two years.
Watch a trailer for Covid Confessions, Alex Fischer’s award-winning documentary.
Fischer received the Arts & Entertainment- Short Form Content nomination for an episode featuring Minneapolis drag performers. Among those interviewed were drag performers, Sunny Kiriyama, Brova Supernova, Cariño, Priscilla Es Yuicy, The Other Jeannie Retelle, Sissy Tops, Julia Starr, and Frozaen Pissás. They highlight the outsized impact of the pandemic on those who work in the queer nighlife and entertainment industries. Many drag performers have struggled to find work and continue honing their craft. Fischer’s effort to provide a voice to drag performers demonstrates the commitment of GLAAD to highlight local queer stories. You can watch Fischer’s interviews with several Minneapolis drag performers below.
“Having the first 6 episodes of the series nominated for 8 Regional Emmy awards and winning 4 this past weekend was a huge honor,” Alec told GLAAD. “It solidified that people resonate with diverse stories that focus on authenticity, perseverance of the human spirit, and real-life reactions to trauma. I’m looking forward to continuing the project using this momentum, and publishing the remaining stories throughout the next year.”
Minneapolis Drag Performers discuss the impact of the pandemic on their work.
“I started working on the series Covid Confessions last December 2020, and have been able to film with more than 300 people across 40 industries since then,” Alec said.
GLAAD celebrates Alec Fischer and his accomplishments. His project is a work of meaningful storytelling that seeks to uplift and include diverse queer perspectives. The full list of nominations and winners for Upper Midwest Regional Emmys can be found here.