The Freedom Tunnel - "Covered Tracks"


"Covered Tracks" is a short documentary inspired by my photography of industrial New York City. The film explores The Freedom Tunnel, a 50-block-long train tunnel running underneath Manhattan's Upper West Side. The tunnel was built by Robert Moses in the 1930's and once housed a huge homeless population. Today, it is largely deserted, although it contains an active Amtrak line. Children play in Riverside Park overhead as trains thunder through the wreckage below, past decades-old graffiti and the ruins of an underground homeless city.

"Covered Tracks" is a gritty portrait of this beautiful and rarely seen part of New York City. I directed the film, and co-produced it with Meghan O'Hara. Photographer Nate Dorr was an associate producer of the film. To create "Covered Tracks," we filmed for one year, pushing a homemade dolly down miles of train tracks.

"Covered Tracks" has screened at film festivals around the world, including Slamdance, the San Francisco Independent Film Festival, the Boston Underground Film Festival, and the Rooftop Film Festival in New York. It won the "Directors Award" at the Black Maria Film Festival.

For more information, visit the films myspace page.













4 comments:

  1. these pictures are really nice. although they kinda look creepy but still they's good!

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  2. Is the film showing any where?

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  3. I am really interested in viewing this film but cannot find it. Any suggestions?

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  4. My friends and I would walk through the tunnel from about 72nd Street to around 90th, where there was [is?] a wrought-iron gate, until the day a Conrail cop caught us. That was before the homeless set up camp in the tunnel. Great photos -- brings back memories.

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