Ming of Harlem: Twenty One Storeys in the Air

“Ming of Harlem: Twenty One Storeys in the Air” presents a uniquely New York tale about Ming, Al, and Antoine Yates, who shared a high-rise apartment in the Drew-Hamilton complex in Harlem for several years until 2003. The revelation of their unusual living situation sparked widespread shock and disbelief. The twist in their story was that Ming was a 500-pound tiger and Al was a seven-foot alligator. The film captures Yates’s memories alongside a poetic exploration of Ming and Al, blending their presence with a text by philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy. It reimagines the wild within, the naming of animals, unfamiliar territories, and the dynamics between humans and animals.