Downtown 81

This film is a rare and fascinating snapshot of an ultra-hip subculture in post-punk era Manhattan. It follows Jean-Michel Basquiat, a young artist struggling to make ends meet, as he wanders the streets of New York City carrying a painting he hopes to sell, encountering friends and artists along the way. Featuring live performances by renowned musicians like Kid Creole and Blondie's Debbie Harry, the film is a bizarre and elliptical urban fairy tale that captures the gritty essence of downtown New York in the 1980s.