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Contagion

Mar 24

2026

The Nickelodeon Columbia, SC

Tickets
with

Destiny Williams, MPH

CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellow, S.C. Department of Public Health

and

Linda J. Bell, MD

Director, Health Programs Branch South Carolina State Epidemiologist S.C. Department of Public Health

and

Marco Tori, MD, MSc LCDR

United States Public Health Service CDC Career Epidemiology Field Officer Medical Consultant, S.C. Department of Public Health

Contagion— Outbreak: The Science Behind Contagion

Contagion screenwriter Scott Z. Burns worked closely with experts from the World Health Organization and the CDC, resulting in a film widely praised for its realistic depiction of viral transmission, contact tracing, vaccine development, and public health response. Upon release, critics applauded its intelligence and restraint. The film gained renewed relevance in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming one of the most-streamed titles worldwide and frequently cited by scientists as one of the most accurate portrayals of a pandemic ever put on screen. Today, Contagion stands as both a riveting thriller and a powerful reflection on science, trust, and preparedness in times of crisis.

This special screening celebrates Contagion not just as a thriller, but as a powerful example of how cinema can illuminate real-world science. After the screening, join leading public health experts from South Carolina for a conversation exploring how Contagion mirrors real-world outbreak response. Drawing on their experience in infectious disease surveillance, field epidemiology, immunization strategy, and pandemic preparedness, the panel will unpack what the film gets right about viral spread, data modeling, vaccine development, and public health decision-making. From local response efforts to global health coordination, this discussion will connect the science on screen to the systems that protect our communities every day.

This event is part of the National Evening of Science on Screen. Learn more.

The Nickelodeon Columbia, SC

Tickets

Film Synopsis

Director Steven Soderbergh’s disaster thriller follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days.

When Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns to Minnesota from a Hong Kong business trip, she attributes the malaise she feels to jet lag. However, two days later, Beth is dead, and doctors tell her husband (Matt Damon) that they have no idea what killed her. Soon, many others start to exhibit the same symptoms, and a worldwide pandemic erupts. Doctors try to contain the lethal microbe, but society begins to collapse as a blogger (Jude Law) fans the flames of paranoia.

About the Speaker

Dr. Linda J. Bell is South Carolina’s State Epidemiologist and Director of the Bureau of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, where she oversees programs in infectious diseases, immunizations, and public health preparedness. A physician trained in internal medicine who later joined the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, Dr. Bell has played a leading role in advancing science-based public health policy in South Carolina, including guiding the state’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Marco E. Tori earned his M.D. from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and completed residency training in internal and preventive medicine in Boston, later receiving a master’s in epidemiology from Boston University School of Public Health. A lieutenant commander in the U.S. Public Health Service and alum of the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, he has served in South Carolina and internationally, supporting efforts ranging from monkeypox response to polio eradication and Afghan refugee health.