“downtown calling” is a long overdue documentary about downtown nyc in the late 70s and early 80s directed by shan nicholson. three years in the making, the film is finally having its premiere at the austin film fest but i’m DYING for it to come to its hometown. with narration by the original duchess of downtown, miss debbie harry! i swoon…
(click to view trailer – haven’t found an embeddable vid yet)
In the late 1970s, the “greatest city in the world” was teetering on the edge of total chaos. A failed economy, crime and en masse housing corruption gave way to a city in crisis. Yet out of the economic and social strife that held the “Big Apple” hostage, a family of homegrown cultures that would forever change the world began to emerge. Downtown Calling not only documents, in detail, the evolution of New York City’s fertile music and art subculture during this period, but how its collective output continues to play a prominent, driving role in the international fashion, art and music industries today.
some shout outs: the film was produced by Ben Velez, Shan Nicholson, Michael Holman, David Viola and Reid Van Renesse (go reid!). my pals at ghava did the title & packaging design.
