New York on Film: Drop Dead City

What happens when a city runs out of money?

In 1975, New York City faced a fiscal crisis so severe it threatened to shut down public services, rattle financial markets and permanently alter the city’s future. The documentary film “Drop Dead City” takes audiences inside this pivotal moment, tracing the political brinkmanship, labor battles, media narratives and behind-the-scenes dealmaking that pulled New York back from the edge.

Through vivid archival footage and firsthand perspectives, the film captures the urgency and high drama of a city fighting for survival while raising questions about power, governance and who ultimately bears the cost of saving a city.

On March 26, join us for a special screening of “Drop Dead City” followed by a conversation with directors Michael Rohatyn and Peter Yost and Atlantic staff writer Michael Powell. Rohatyn, Yost and Powell will discuss the making of the film and the legacy of the crisis, exploring the personal stakes behind the policy decisions and the myth versus the reality of New York’s “comeback.” 

Tickets are $5 and include a drink and popcorn. Proceeds will be donated to a charitable organization of our speakers’ choice.

Please note that seating is not assigned and seats will be chosen on a first come, first served basis.

Michael Powell is a staff writer at The Atlantic. Previously, he was a national reporter at The New York Times, where he covered issues around free speech and expression and stories capturing intellectual and campus debate. He also covered presidential campaigns, reported on the economy, wrote the "Gotham" column for the Metro section, and for six years was the "Sports of the Times" columnist. He and two colleagues won the George Polk Award for reporting on a corrupt police detective — stories that led to more than a dozen exonerations, including freeing a man who had served 22 years for a M**der he did not commit — and he was part of a team that won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking-news reporting on Eliot Spitzer. Before joining the Times, Powell worked for The Washington Post, where he covered the 2000 presidential campaign and later served as New York bureau chief.

Producer/Director Michael Rohatyn is a screenwriter and musician who has worked in features and documentaries such as “Forty Shades of Blue” (dir. Ira Sachs) and “Maggie’s Plan” (dir. Rebecca Miller). He scored the Emmy-nominated doc “Arthur Miller: Writer for HBO.” As a boy in 1975, Michael had a front row seat to many of the dramas that are featured in DROP DEAD CITY, and knew many of the players personally. Felix Rohatyn, chairman of MAC, was his father.

Director/Producer Peter Yost is a multiple-Emmy nominated filmmaker who has produced/directed dozens of high-end documentary projects for leading broadcasters and streamers through his company, Pangloss Films. Peter recently produced and directed the acclaimed,4-part series for WGBH / PBS “Mysteries of Mental Illness” about the history of psychiatry. Past projects include “Inside North Korea” and “The Color Of Oil” (both Emmy nominated); and Solitary Confinement, which led to Pr*son reforms in Colorado and elsewhere. His most recent project, “Nazi Town, USA” for PBS American Experience is nominated for both an Emmy and Columbia Dupont Award.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Alliance for Downtown New York