Even before COVID19, New York was already defined by a gap between the rich and poor. Yet during the pandemic, wealth has become a determinant of survival.
The pandemic hit New York in the spring, with almost 800 people dying from COVID19 each day in April. The city has been uneasy since then. People's lives have been shaken by months of stayathome orders, changing public health measures, "Black Lives Matter" protests, the presidential election, and above all the economic consequences of the pandemic, including everwidening inequality between New Yorkers.

Stefanie Dodt and Christiane Meier are the creators of "New York City Rich and Poor The Inequality Crisis." They spent more than eight months following the lives of three New York families who inhabit the different strata of New York society the bottom, the top and the middle.
The documentary links this long period of observation with intensive data research and analysis and shows why, long before COVID19, it was clear who the disease would hit hardest. The boundaries between rich and poor are often clearly defined by neighborhoods. Where a person lives determines their risk of becoming infected with the virus, and health has become more of a luxury than ever. The pandemic is spotlighting the scale and consequences of economic inequality in America. In New York, a city of extremes, the emphasis is white hot and reflects in brash New York style the structural problems all of America is facing as COVID19 further amplifies inequality.



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