Pocket Review A little more legibility would've benefited Alison Nguyen's fragmented short film about the famed NYC artists' housing complex.

November 4, 2026 — 2 min read

Film still from “Prior Occupants” depicts the water-damaged basement of the Westbeth Artists Housing complex, which once served as the cafeteria for its predecessor, Bell Laboratories. (all stills courtesy Alison Nguyen)

Near the start of the High Line in Manhattan, a short film screening to the public above 14th Street dances around the history of the Westbeth Artists Housing complex, a stone's throw away from the park. While clearly drawn from extensive research and intrigue, Alison Nguyen's 14-minute film “Prior Occupants” (2026) skates on vague fragments of information that do better to incite curiosity rather than illustrate outright.

Have you ever sat through a lecture while feverishly looking up the keywords being mentioned to appear less woefully out of the loop?…