District 26: a New York Election Story
Film Screening & Ticket Information
When & Where to See this Film!
Date, Time & Location:
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH • 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
KAS Zukor • 35th St. • Long Island City, NY 11106
SCREENING BLOCK:
Campaign Lane: Two films about the dynamics of our political landscape.
Synopsis
In the local New York City elections of 2021, several city council districts had unusually crowded primary races. This film is a document of the final weeks of the most crowded city council race, where 15 Democratic candidates were on the ballot.
Credits
Shannon Ayala, Writer, Producer
Director Statement
I am a strong believer that great stories are often, if not always, in our own proverbial backyards. I decided to document the final weeks of the city council primary campaign where I live in Queens, after meeting a handful of the many candidates. I did not have an hour-plus film in mind. I just wanted to make a video to capture the personalities that made this race so colorful and interesting, set against a backdrop of a dramatic council district where the inequalities and diversity of New York City are so sharply epitomized. To me, a good story is a thing that illuminates a broader set of issues and questions in the world through one, small but compelling event. I want people to see what I see. This is my way of saying, this is where I live. This is what’s happening here.
Director Biography
Shannon Ayala is a journalist who lives in Western Queens. For more than a decade, he’s covered local New York City political stories in various forms of media, especially through producing and editing for the public television station, CUNY TV. He’s a graduate of the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism and the City College of New York.
