DROP DEAD CITY
Friday, May 16 at 7 PM
$16 Public | $10 Members
In Person: Director
Michael Rohatyn
For all other showtimes click here
Using vibrant archival footage and firsthand accounts, Peter
Yost and Michael Rohatyn’s gripping documentary explores New
York City’s descent into financial chaos, leading to the infamous 1975 fiscal
crisis, an extraordinary, overlooked episode in urban American history that saw
an already struggling city of 8 million people brought to the edge of
bankruptcy and social chaos by a perfect storm of greed, incompetence,
ambitious social policy, and poor governance. Once a haven for working-class
people, thanks to strong unions and government subsidies, NYC plunged into
economic freefall when audits exposed a budget crisis, leading to
layoffs, white flight, and surging poverty. As banks refused aid, President
Ford famously told the city to "drop dead." Featuring firsthand
accounts from former city officials, vibrant archival footage, and a killer
soundtrack, this suspenseful film captures the drama, grit, and resilience of a
city on the edge. (USA, 2025, 109 min., color, DCP)
