"The story of New York is the story of America," says filmmaker Ric Burns. "It is the heart of the American dream, a world-wide symbol of the nation, and the premier laboratory of the modern world." This UK Premiere of two parts of Burns' epic documentary series traces the history of New York from its 17th-century origins as a Dutch trading outpost to the modern day.

New York: City of Tomorrow covers the years 1931-1940, a period of immense change for the city and the nation as Franklin D Roosevelt's 'New Deal' programme of public works helped America spend and build its way out of the Depression to become a power house by the outbreak of World War II.

New York: The City and the World focuses on the post-War years up to 2000, as the city benefited from new trade deals and rising numbers of skilled immigrants, many of them refugees from the war in Europe. New York grew in scale and stature to become a symbol of Western culture and commerce – chillingly, in hindsight, under the shadows of the World Trade Center.