[1]Days after 9/11, I flew to New York to attend a film conference that had been scheduled a few blocks from Ground Zero. We considered cancelling the event, because even getting on a plane then felt like an act of bravery. About half the group showed up. Our hotel served as a staging area for first responders, so there were firefighters and police officers hustling through the lobby. Outside, the streets were alarmingly quiet, with a city cloaked in sadness. I stumbled onto a storefront that neighbors had turned into an ad hoc gallery, where they’d tacked soaring photos of Manhattan to the walls. In that burst of optimism and creativity, I knew New York City was going to be fine. Watching recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy, I think back to that moment. (Donate here [2].) And I’m reminded of it when my own spirit is lagging, and hope that resilience will carry me through.
Double Feature by Adrian Tomine [1]