Documentary: Austin Restaurants During Lockdown
Note: This project became the film “TO BE SEEN”, releasing 2026. Please visit the project page for more details.
This project started in late 2020, when David Liu started seeing the different survivability characteristics of Austin food businesses versus the rest of the United States. Through his access into the local restaurant industry by late 2022, he started seeing a story that was needing to be told.
A city and industry under lockdown
The city of Austin, known for its unique style and food culture must tackle the myriad of regulations and business decisions head on.
Local businesses taking unique strategies
For local businesses stuck between conflicting guidance and no state-level safety nets, different methods were taken to try to ride out the lockdown and closure of traditional dining methods.
