By Led Black
September 30 – October 5
The Best of the 2nd Annual Dominican Film Festival in New York (DFFNY) goes down at the United Palace of Cultural Arts (4140 Broadway) on Saturday, October 12, 2013. From 1-10 pm, the four most popular films shown during the festival in June will be screened: A Ritmo de Fe, Lotoman 2.0, Jaque Mate and La Lucha de Ana. If you are a fan of Dominican cinema, then you don’t want to miss this incredible all-day film affair.
WABC came Uptown once again for their Neighborhood Eats series to perennial favorite and Dominican cuisine powerhouse, Margot Restaurant (3822 Broadway). The venerable Uptown institution has been around for almost 30 years for a reason. In my humble estimation, this is one of the best Dominican restaurants Uptown. WNYC took an in-depth look at the health insurance exchanges at the core of the Affordable Care Act by focusing on how some New Yorkers will fare under Obamacare. One of the featured New Yorkers was none other than Uptown artist Andrea Arroyo. NBC Latino’s popular Cafecito series sat down with Junot Diaz at Corcho Wine Room (231 Dyckman) to talk about books, identity, and supporting undocumented students.
Do you know what Gagá pa’l Pueblo is? Gagá pa’l Pueblo is an all-out celebration of Afro-Dominican identity that welcomes, engages and entrances all who take part in it. Gagá pa’l Pueblo takes place every summer on Sundays in the Anne Loftus Playground on Dyckman Street as well as other places in the Heights. Since summer is now over, take a look at our pictures of the festivities courtesy of Art By Dj Boy.
Our Uptown Video selection featured an excellent short documentary by Dan Perez and Ruben Perez about Uptown artist Marthalicia Matarrita and her brothers Tomas and Jorge. The video explores how their shared love of art helped them to cope and avoid many of the pitfalls and challenges of their very tough upbringing. This week also saw the photographic recap of the annual A Toast to Fort Tryon Park event by Art By Dj Boy.
The Best of the Boogie Down column by Jenni Ruiza featured a review of the new film Runner, Runner. Our Picture of the Week comes to us from Wallace Flores and was a great shot from the always-incredible Medieval Festival.
Keep checking us out at www.uptowncollective.com.
Led Black
Editor-in-Chief
The Uptown Collective
The UC’s mission is to become “the” definitive, transformative and community-based force impacting the arts, culture, business and New York City’s overall perception of Upper Manhattan. Its objective is to reset, reboot and positively redefine Uptown’s artistic, political, cultural and business spheres via the online space as well the collective’s initiatives and functions.
