Rossella Failla

The twenty-two minute long film was able to capture the essence of New York throughout a time span of over 350 years. It captured the progress that New York City made through the years, in terms of industrializing and modernizing.  What I found particularly important was the priority that the film gave to the Erie Canal. Without it, New York City would not have became the commercial hub between Europe and the rest of the country. The film went on to mention the many new structures that were developed; the new bridges that connected the city to the boroughs around it.

Generations and generations of people have come to New York City, whether as a destination, or a passageway to the New World, but these people faced many hardships along the way. The film also mentioned the various groups of immigrants that have arrived in New York. The great waves of immigration have shaped New York to be a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic city.

One of the weaknesses of the film, however, was the disregard of the hardships that New Yorkers faced. It briefly mentioned the continuing gap between the rich and the poor, but it failed to highlight the grim reality of the poverty in New York.

Overall, I really enjoyed the film, particularly the use of mixed media: maps, pictures, videos, etc. The three screens captured attention, and created an interactive learning session. It was particularly eye-opening, especially for someone who lives in New York, because it allows you to think about how New York came to be the city that we know and love.