A black-and-white time capsule of the East Village before it got scrubbed clean. Where the bars are grimy, the streets feel dangerous, and every face might be famous someday.
Thanks to Rob’s sister, Liz Kelly, for flagging this one.
Trailer for “No Picnic”
Watch “No Picnic”
This doc opens April 17, 2026 at Film Forum in New York.
Ratings:
- My Rating: TBD (but I’m already in line)
Director’s Note: Philip Hartman (co-founder of Two Boots) writes and directs this wandering, almost dreamlike story of Macabee Cohn. A washed-up jukebox operator drifting through the East Village in search of a mysterious woman in a striped dress. It’s less plot, more vibe.
Release Date: April 17, 2026 (Film Forum re-release)
Other Unique Stuff
- The “plot” barely matters—Macabee chasing a woman in a striped dress feels more like an excuse to wander through a disappearing city than an actual story.
- The film plays like a ghost of New York—shot in black-and-white. It feels less like reality and more like someone remembering the East Village after it’s already gone.
- The soundtrack shouldn’t work (Fela Kuti next to Charles Mingus next to punk bands), but somehow it perfectly matches the chaos of downtown NYC in the ‘80s.
Wrap Up:
I haven’t seen it yet, but this feels like one of those rare films that captures a place and time you can’t get back. If you care about New York history or scrappy indie filmmaking, this is a must.