It is believed that the U.S., England, and France are nine to 10 days behind Italy in COVID-19’s progression. So, a collective of young filmmakers based in Milan decided to make a video revealing the severity of the pandemic and urging people to take social distancing seriously before things spiral out of control.

The collective, called “A thing by,” asked people from all around Italy to record a message to themselves as if it were 10 days prior. The results were haunting, potent and necessary: