Slumlord Millionaire held its world premiere at the 2024 DOC NYC festival tonight, Friday, November 15. Encore screenings will be held on Saturday, November 16 and Monday, November 18.
Slumlord Millionaire is a powerful documentary that shines a harsh light on New York City’s housing crisis, laying bare the impact of gentrification, corrupt landlord practices, and an often ineffective housing court system. Directed by Steph Ching and Ellen Martinez, the film pulls viewers into the gritty, frustrating world of tenants trying to hold on to their homes while facing pressure from powerful developers and unsympathetic city policies. With a strong mix of personal narratives and an overview of the broader political landscape, Slumlord Millionaire does more than inform—it forces you to confront the consequences of systemic housing injustice.
The documentary captures personal stories from across the five boroughs, emphasizing the real people affected by these issues. Each tenant’s experience reflects a piece of the larger picture of how policies and loopholes have made New York City’s housing market a battleground for its most vulnerable residents. By putting faces to the issue, the film effectively humanizes what might otherwise feel like an abstract debate over policy and development, reminding viewers that gentrification is more than just a term; it’s a force displacing families and transforming neighborhoods beyond recognition.
But Slumlord Millionaire doesn’t stop at the individual level—it also pulls back to reveal the wider political structures at play, exploring how city policies have, intentionally or not, opened the door for these exploitative practices. The film makes clear that to truly understand the housing crisis, one has to look at the cause and effect of policy decisions and the unchecked power of developers. This combination of personal and political storytelling makes Slumlord Millionaire compelling and essential viewing.
For New Yorkers who want to be informed citizens and understand what’s happening in their own neighborhoods, Slumlord Millionaire is both an eye-opener and a call to action. It’s a tough but necessary watch that confronts the audience head-on with the reality of housing injustice, highlighting the resilience of those standing up to fight back.
Grab tickets to DOC NYC HERE.
TV and City 