It was a sad day in 2011 when the Chinatown Fair closed. The arcade had been a fixture on Mott Street since 1944. Now a documentary film about the legendary Chinatown spot is about to debut at the IFC Center as part of DOC NYC.
Here’s more from the press release for The Lost Arcade:
THE LOST ARCADE is a revelatory and timely documentary about what happens to a diverse and tight knit community after their beloved arcade closes… (It)focuses on a group of people whose lives were greatly impacted by the arcade. Chinatown Fair was a downtown institution… The arcade was able to survive gentrification and outlast every other arcade in the city because of a unique set of variables. Chinatown Fair owed it’s longevity and cult following to the dedication of it’s owner, Sam Palmer, and elderly Pakistani immigrant who was a father figure to the kids that found refuge at the arcade. The arcade was tucked away in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown, a neighborhood which has resisted gentrification for decades.
And here’s the trailer:
The Lost Arcade Teaser from ArcadeMovie on Vimeo.
The film debuts Nov. 14 at 4:45 p.m. at the IFC Center, 323 6th Avenue. You can also see it Nov. 18, 12:45 p.m. Click here for tickets.
The arcade found a new home in Brooklyn and Chinatown Fair reopened under new management at 8 Mott St.
