“I Need One Dollar”, a short film by Gioacchino Petronicce, uses sound and movement in equal parts to capture the feeling of exploring New York City. The piece quickly cuts between shots of the bustling city, occasionally lingering on a single image—a puddle studded by raindrops or a floating bubble, allowing the viewer to take a breath. We are shown New York from every angle, with landscape shots from above and afar, as well as close, claustrophobic shots taken within a crowd. The clips show a unique perspective, focusing on people’s shoes, or the tops of their heads, adding new images to the typical New York scenes. Petronicce uses the city’s natural sounds as a soundtrack, interweaving sirens, laughter, wind chimes, and news broadcasts. The film is never quiet and rarely stops moving—the perfect homage to the city that never sleeps.

Published in Filmmaking by George Levitikos, Copy by Sophia Nass