True art survives, unoptimized and without permission: ironic, hypocritical, lost, yet still alive
Where the Kids Still Scream
Feature documentary uncovering the past and present of New York punk from CBGB to Bushwick warehouses. Confronting how culture survives when rebellion becomes a commodity.
My name is Ben DeVenezia and I am a filmmaker and photographer based in New York. Over the past two years I’ve focused on documenting stories that capture raw authentic human experiences.
Punk music shaped my youth and New York City shaped my storytelling. Where the Kids Still Scream, is a combination of those influences to document a living culture that continues to fight for space and survival in a rapidly changing city.
The Story
New York has always been defined by cultural movements that start on the margins. In the 1970s punk birthed from a cultural rebellion. Fifty years later we captured it's current position within the city, how its changed, and where it lives.
Where the Kids Still Scream is a feature length documentary tracing punk's lineage from CBGB to Bushwick capturing both the iconic past and the present. At its core, the film asks: how does rebellion survive in a society that seeks to commodify it?
The film features performances and interviews with the NYC underground. The people who are keeping the culture alive and screaming for change. Altruists like Ozzie who self funds free all-ages shows in the parks throughout the five boroughs with his non-profit organization called Show Brain. Bands like Bodega, Native Sun, Dead Tooth, Balaclava, Pons, and Shilpa Ray who champion the underground making their music unapologetic and accessible.
Behind the camera our lean team has handled everything from storyboarding, shooting, editing, and sound. We are embodied the DIY ethos that this culture represents. Built out of passion, persistence, and collaboration.
Why it Matters
This project is about far more than music. It is about safeguarding the history of cultural resistance in New York and giving voice to a new generation determined to carry it forward. Punk’s story is not just one of sound, but of resilience, creativity, and the enduring strength of community. These values are increasingly under threat in a city where authenticity is too often repackaged and sold, and where the spaces for genuine expression are rapidly disappearing.
By helping us release and finish this film we are giving voice to people who live resistance. We are standing against the forces of gentrification, commercialization, and erasure that threaten to flatten culture into commodity. Supporting this project is to help ensure that community survives the forces that seek to destroy it.
The Goal + Funds
We have moved to post-production. Our Immediate goal is $15,000 to complete the film and prepare for 2026 film festivals. These finishing funds will enable us to meet the legal and quality standards required for distribution.
Your contribution directly supports:
Sound design & music licensing
Color grading & VFX finishing
Legal & deliverables
Community outreach
Every dollar raised will be used to finish and launch the film. Contributions are tax-deductible through Fractured Atlas.
Festival submissions in 2026 (DOC NYC, Tribeca, Slamdance, SXSW, and more).
A local New York premiere that doubles as a community event and launch platform.
Press outreach to music and culture outlets (Brooklyn Vegan, Pitchfork, CREEM).
Merch and zines to expand the cultural footprint and sustain the project beyond the screen.
With your support, Where the Kids Still Scream will not only reach festivals but will also connect with the communities in and out of New York City who continue to live this story.
