The film is a day in the life of a young artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, who needs to raise money to reclaim the apartment from which he has been evicted. He wanders the downtown streets carrying a painting he hopes to sell, encountering friends, whose lives (and performances) we peek into.
You can now watch Downtown '81 online on the following streaming providers in the United States.
| Directing | Edo Bertoglio | Director |
| Writing | Glenn O'Brien | Writer |
| Crew | Vincent Gallo | Thanks |
| Costume & Make-Up | Claudia Porcelli | Makeup Artist |
| Art | Maripol | Art Direction |
| Sound | Vincent Gallo | Original Music Composer |
| Production | Maripol | Producer |
| Editing | Pamela French | Editor |
| Camera | John McNulty | Director of Photography |
| Sound | Robert Maier | Sound Mixer |
