Off Track Betty is a twenty-minute short shot on 16mm film on New York City's Lower East Side: a story about love, memory, and what it means to move forward.

In an ever-changing corner of New York City, a longtime resident realizes she no longer recognizes the neighborhood she calls home. Facing an uncertain future, she is confronted by a young man with a direct link to her past. She is forced to ask: when is it right to hold on to what’s past, and when is it time to let go?

The Demolition of our Locations

Our locations on the Lower East Side began to be evicted of occupants or demolished within 48 hours of wrapping production, in order to accommodate new high-rise construction. As of now, nearly all of the film’s exterior and interior locations are vacant, altered beyond recognition, or completely demolished. We are grateful to have captured these places on film. Their impermanence highlights one of the themes of our story: the drive to celebrate what we love while we have it, even as we move rapidly forward.

One of the Last Films Processed in NYC

Off Track Betty was one of the last film projects ever to be processed in New York City. Film Lab NY / Deluxe, the last remaining lab in New York, closed for business right after they developed our 16mm reels. We are proud of this unexpected distinction, and we champion the medium, even as its role in our culture diminishes.