Synopsis

Almost eight million people live in New York and a great many of them use the subway every day. In his electrifying documentary, Piotr Stasik introduces twenty-one of them and, in doing so, conveys an atmosphere of the city that, as is well known, never sleeps. In intimate conversations, these New Yorkers from all areas of society talk about their everyday life, their reveries, their lost loves and their secret longings. Philosophical thoughts alternate with banal findings and realisations about themselves, the world and life in general. Because the camera keeps on following these twenty-one people from the vibrant underground to the surface, the audience is able to see New York in a way they usually do not get to see the city in common guidebooks or Hollywood films. Not only does the hypnotising film mirror the inner life of the Big Apple with fast-paced images, but also the western civilization. It is a reflection of a society where the struggle against loneliness and the need for togetherness remains the elementary drive for existence – despite all the progress in science, technology etc. This film essay which is reminiscent of Jim Jarmusch and Gaspar Noé was nominated for the best documentary at the European Film Awards 2016.