Extra Credit - DOC NYC

The DOC NYC event showcased a lot of interesting beautifully made short films. Out of the films showcased, however, my favorite would be the short film “Gentrification Express: Breaking down the BQX”. Although I am a bit biased seeing as I come from one the areas affected by the BQX line, I feel the short film was really well made.  

The short film really captured all of the issues residents along the proposed line will face, as well as the greed behind the whole BQX project. This, I feel, created a nice balance within the documentary between the story of the local residents and the plan / the true desire of implementing the BQX line. By doing this I feel it not only educates people on corporal greed and the effects of such greed on the people, but it also helps prevents the whole issue from becoming another “sob story” of the poor, so to speak.  

By bringing to light the issue of displacement among residents pre/post construction of new infrastructure / attractions built by the government and corporations, the documentary help people realize that creation of the BQX line would be a serious impediment on the lives of the local residents. People seem to fail to realize that the new line would be uprooting people who have lived there for years or whose families have been there for generations. Not only that but even more local residents would be displaced through gentrification when the line is completed. As the documentary explains, the new line will attract more people to the neighborhoods and more often than not it’s upper class people who are attracted which will eventually drive up rent within those areas and force out those who cannot afford it. The documentary also provides interviews of residents which reveals that a majority of people living near the BQX wouldn’t need or use it for their daily commute. The audience are shown that the BQX line isn’t another sob story where residents are complaining about something new and foreign being added to their neighborhood, it’s a project that deeply affects their livelihood and it’s something that they have no use for.  

Cinematography wise, the film is beautifully made. A lot of the shots within the film, I feel, helped the viewer become more immersed in the story. The still shots of the neighborhoods, for instance, were some of my favorites. The shots showed various people moving about and interacting, and it contained various well-known local old/popular stores and areas (I can only speak for Sunset neighborhood) I felt it captured the essence of the neighborhoods and really showed and gave off the vibe that they were complex, diverse communities with a history behind it. Some other shots that I particularly liked were the close ups of the interviewee during the interview sections. The close ups helped bring the audience into the film, it felt like they were talking to me in person one-on-one and made section feel more personal.  

The thing I love most about this short film is that it helps raise awareness about the whole situation which I feel in the right and big steps towards preserving the communities affected by the BQX. When I was working with CPC (Chinese-American Planning Council), were working on a plan and project that would help fight against BQX project. It was surprising to discover that the people within the community knew little to nothing about something that would impact our lives so profoundly. I suppose it just hits to home that fact that the BQX isn’t being created for the people, but rather for the upper class. I feel this film will have a significant impact on the BQX project.