This Is What It's Like Being a Young Artist in New York City
The short film ‘Can’t Nobody Else Love You’ is a look into the world of urban creatives.
Director Ivan Olita has released a short film that surveys the life of young creatives living in New York City. Though NYC is often regarded as the best place for an artist to thrive Can’t Nobody Else Love You reveals the difficulties that many face trying to make it in the Big Apple. The 20-minute clip stars social media artist John Yuyi and musician Hirakish who share their honest stories of the city’s downfalls. Partying, drugs and constant socializing were the leading distractions that kept the film’s subjects from achieving their dreams. Though they are surrounded by like-minded people they find that depression, social media and a lack of resources prevent them from excelling at the pace and in the way they thought they would.
In an interview with Dazed Olita shares his perspective on the culture of the city:
“It was no longer about romanticizing a way of life; it became more about reporting the reality of their lives and trying to do it in the most romantic way. So when I think about the piece, I think about something real – raw – as its protagonists would say. It’s not comforting to watch, and it should not feel that way. New York is obviously the (un)spoken protagonist of the piece. It is where these kids find themselves. Where they want to make it happen. Where they will be eventually tested out against themselves and the world at large. We were less interested in perceiving the city as a geographical place but rather a state of mind. The focus is less about ‘being in NY’, and more about ‘feeling in NY’ and feeling in NY is often times not as easy as it could seem.”
Watch the short film above.
