"Great indie film which talks about the forces decimating the Village-unaffordable housing, unsustainable small businesses, and the intensely evil and predatory influence of NYU. Eye-opening and a pleasure to watch!"

- Katherine Slawinski, Political Activist

  *** OFFICIAL WINNER BEST DOC at the New York City International Film Festival ***  

  *** OFFICIAL WINNER SPOTLIGHT AWARD at the Manhattan Film Festival ***  

  *** 2017 Spotlight Documentary Film Award ***  

“Poignant and sometimes unnerving. The Lost Village is a microcosm of the big picture. Paradiso is not afraid to speak his mind. He is willing, on your behalf, to tell it like it is!”

- Laura Warfield, Musician

I received a call from Sharon Woolums, a freelance journalist and activist, who had been in one of my films. She said there was a rally against New York University on September 1, 2015 in Washington Square Park. I remember it was quite hot that day. At the rally, I learned that NYU's tuition was one of the highest in the nation with many hidden fees and few scholarships offered for what I thought would be a fairly well-endowed University. Seems students paid around $65,000 to $70,000 for tuition and room and board back a few years ago. Current full time two-semester students will pay $72,900 according to NYU.

In looking at the figures, I can tell you that an allowance of $16,000 for room and board is not reasonable unless you live in the dorms and lead a spartan life. There is limited dorm space and most students are thrown into the rental market which can double or triple the estimated costs in any major city in the World. But NYU is not alone. According to Bloomberg, "college and tuition fees have increased 1,120% since 1978."

"I particularly feel badly about the young folk who are strapped with the undue financial burden of procuring an education... throughout the whole USA. The film addressed many issues... I thought it was great..."     

- Claudia Saunders

NYU Students Rebel Against the Evil Empire!

I heard about homeless students, hungry students at NYU. With that high tuition, how could most students afford to live and play in the Village unless they have a trust fund? There is little chance to spend only $16,000 for two semesters. It is no wonder that the suicide rate for college students has gone up 200 per cent since the 1950s. With all the pressures of earning that degree and going into debt, should we be shocked that 1.5% of college students attempt suicide?

At the September 1st rebellion, many of the student and faculty speakers were talking about tuition fueling NYU's real estate Empire and also their large and well-paid administration. I learned that NYU and Columbia University were two of the biggest private landlords in New York City. I also learned that most large public and private colleges and universities were also in the real estate business.

"The Lost Vlllage is a gripping portrait of the systemic legalized corporate crime spree devouring not only Greenwich Villlage but all our major urban landscapes until there is nowhere that 95% of us can afford to live. Director Roger Paradiso expertly crafts a potent call to arms that deserves to find its mass audience." 

- Kurt Jacobsen, filmmaker and author

STUDENT PROSTITUTION IS REAL

The most shocking revelation came from a female undergraduate student who spoke of being a prostitute to fund her NYU education. Her name was "Mandy" and she wore a mask.

Forbes also reports that student loan debt is now the second-highest consumer debt category—behind only mortgage debt— and higher than both credit cards and auto loans.” According to Forbes, student loan debt in 2017 has reached a staggering $1.3 trillion. And around the country, there are many thousands of male and female students selling themselves to pay their tuition and debts.

I interviewed a spokesman from SEEKING ARRANGEMENTS who said that the organization has grown in the last ten years and it numbers over a thousand men and women "sugar babies" just at NYU and Columbia University.  She said the national membership was growing at a rapid rate.

"The Village is a microcosm of what is happening across the United States where the disparity of income between rich and poor is now higher than anytime in our history. This extraordinary documentary raises the alarm and surprisingly offers a way to counter such take-overs through citizen activism and grass-root organizations.  A must-see for anyone concerned about where the U.S. is going under the rule of the oligarchs."   

- James Cass Rogers, filmmaker

A HOSPITAL CLOSES TO MAKE WAY FOR LUXURY CONDOS

St. Vincent's Hospital closes in the West Village to make room for luxury condos.
You can live here if you have $20,000,000.

My eyes were opened to the conditions encountered by Mom and Pop shops who seem to have no rights against Commercial Landlords. Massive rent increases sometimes as much as going from 800 dollars a month ten years ago to now over 8,000 a month for small spaces is the norm in this ruthless environment. During the Bloomberg administration taxes had gone up to dangerously high levels and the law allowed commercial landlords to pass along a high percentage of the tax increases. Studies show that in New York City, a thousand small business closed per month in the year 2015. Over five hundred of these "closings" were court ordered evictions to small businesses. The Mayor and City Council did nothing.

The Village, once a haven for the proverbial starving artist who brought creativity as their currency, is now a ghoulish hang out for cover bands and Wall Street hipsters unable to create but desperately trying to recreate something that is lost. I found myself questioning how we got to this place and what kind of society we were becoming.

“This is a razor sharp investigation of the slow evisceration of Greenwich Village. It has a lot to say about the cannibalistic nature of capitalism in this country, and where we are headed. Very timely and well done.”

- Steve Gorelick, NJ Film Commission

WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT US

Can the Village be saved? Or is Greenwich Village lost forever?

This is a story that is repeated not just all across the United States but also in many countries across the globe. We need to take a stand. The time for action is now. The Lost Village provides solutions based on grassroots activism. Help us get the word out to as many people as possible by supporting our grassroots crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to enable us to distribute this already completed film. After fulfilling rewards, every penny raised will go towards this effort.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Even if you are not able to contribute money, you can help by sharing this campaign via your social media accounts, blogging/speaking about the film, or volunteering to host a community screening.  Please subscribe to this campaign (link on right side towards the top of this page) or reach out via our Facebook page and we will contact you to discuss ways in which you can help.