Shot by an actual couple during the New York City spring 2020 lockdown without a cast or crew, New Strains tells the story of Kallia and Ram. They have just begun their first vacation as a couple, and they’re already bickering. Though a mysterious new illness is on the brink of exploding into a pandemic, and despite Ram’s protestations, Kallia insists that they are going to have a fun week in New York City. Within hours of their arrival, a nation-wide lockdown is announced, ruining their plans. Over the course of their stay, they descend into a toxic pattern of jealousy and co- dependence. Is their childish behavior simply the result of cabin fever, or is it something more?