Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Film at Lincoln Center announced earlier today the world premiere of Stanley Nelson’s “San Juan Hill: Manhattan’s Lost Neighborhood” on Wednesday, October 9th, at 6:00 pm at Alice Tully Hall for the New York Film Festival (NYFF).
This 62nd New York Film Festival Special Event will feature a conversation with director Stanley Nelson, producer Rita Coburn, and special guests following the screening. The film is narrated by Ariana DeBose, edited by Sebastián Díaz, produced by Rita Coburn, and produced and directed by Stanley Nelson. It is made possible by support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
In the first half of the 20th century, the area now called Lincoln Square was known by another name: San Juan Hill. This was a place where musical phenomena like bebop and the Charleston were born, and its clubs and theaters nurtured creative geniuses like James P. Johnson, Josephine Baker, and Thelonious Monk. The Lincoln Square Arcade, a hub for artists, counted luminaries like Eugene O’Neill, George Bellows, and Robert Henri among their inhabitants. Home to a largely working-class community, San Juan Hill was redlined in the 1930s and targeted by “urban renewal” in the 1940s and 1950s, when thousands of residents were displaced to make way for Amsterdam Houses, Lincoln Center, Fordham University, and additional developments. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson, “San Juan Hill: Manhattan’s Lost Neighborhood” traces the neighborhood’s rise and fall through never-before-accessed records and archives, historical footage, expert commentary, and interviews with residents. The film explores the vibrant people, arts, and culture whose enduring legacy still resonates today, providing a unique insight into the neighborhood’s rich history.
For those eager to delve deeper into the histories of the people, arts, and culture that once flourished in the neighborhood, the Legacies of San Juan Hill digital hub is a treasure trove of information. “San Juan Hill: Manhattan’s Lost Neighborhood” is a presentation of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in association with Film at Lincoln Center, offering a unique opportunity to learn more about this lost neighborhood and its vibrant past.
Stanley Nelson is today’s leading documentarian of the African American experience. His films combine compelling narratives with rich historical detail to shine a new light on the under-explored American past. Awards received throughout his career include a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, five Primetime Emmy Awards, and lifetime achievement awards from the Emmys and the International Documentary Association. In 2013, Nelson received the National Medal in the Humanities from President Obama. Nelson’s latest films include Sound of the Police (for ABC News Studios/Hulu), “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom” and “Becoming Frederick Douglass” (both for Maryland Public Television/PBS), the Academy Award-nominated Attica (for Showtime), and the forthcoming” We Want the Funk: The History of Funk Music” (for PBS’ Independent Lens).
Tickets for “San Juan Hill: Manhattan’s Lost Neighborhood” go on sale Tuesday, September 10th at noon ET, with pre-sale access for Lincoln Center Members beginning on September 5th at noon and FLC Members during the NYFF62 pre-sale. Tickets are available on a Choose What You Pay basis, starting at $5.
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