If you've been keeping up with the news re: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (and I'm not sure how you could avoid it at this point, even if you wanted to), you're well aware that New York City has been one of the most heavily impacted areas of the country, with over 178K known cases of the virus and an ever-increasing number of casualties. It's been both heartbreaking and terrifying to watch the situation unfold.
Last night, Oscar-winner and all-around badass Spike Lee offered up something of a morale boost: a brand-new, three and a half minute short film which he's calling "a love letter" to the people of NYC. Shot on Super 8 during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, the short offers us a look in and around America's most iconic city during an unprecedented time - closed playgrounds, deserted streets, empty subway platforms. The images are juxtaposed against the strains of a quintessential NYC song (you know which one), and the effect is pretty damn powerful. Your heart can't help but go out to New York and its people while watching this, but the subtext seems clear: NYC's as resilient as it's ever been, and they're gonna make it through this along with the rest of us.
Check out Lee's latest below, and consider keeping a few tissues handy.