Though COVID-19 got its start in China, once it spread to the US, New York City quickly became the epicenter of the entire pandemic, with thousands of infected and dead. And because of this alarming spread, the city became one of the first to institute lockdown policies, turning the biggest city in the US into a ghost town. This is an effect that is perfectly captured in Spike Lee’s new short, titled “New York New York.”
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The Oscar-winning filmmaker recently went on social media to share a new short film that he created during the pandemic, showcasing just how COVID-19 has affected his beloved city. Accompanying the new short, Lee wrote, “My Short Film-NEW YORK NEW YORK Is A Love Letter To It’s People. Plain And Simple.”
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The film shows some of the most prominent landmarks in New York City, or at least some of the places that clearly mean something to Lee. However, instead of streets bustling with people, New York City is empty. Almost like a scene from a post-apocalyptic film. Of course, as you get to the back half of the short, you start to see where the people actually are in public, in makeshift medical tents, waiting in lines at pharmacies, and at hospitals.
Lee isn’t the only filmmaker that has used this lockdown time to create something new. We’ve previously seen directors new shorts from Michel Gondry, who made an animated film about wanting to get back to France, and David F. Sandberg, who used his time stuck in his house to film a spiritual successor to his horror film, “Lights Out.”
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You can watch Spike Lee’s new short below. And if you’re waiting for a new feature from the filmmaker, his next film, “Da 5 Bloods,” is set to hit Netflix on June 12.