A series of powerful documentaries filmed by Street Sense vendors in Washington D.C. will get their first screening tonight.
The biweekly street paper is sold across the city by homeless and formerly vendors, many of whom also write for the publication. Recently, they were given an opportunity to express their creativity in a different medium - film.
As part of the Cinema From the Street co-op project, ran by professional filmmaker
Bryan Bello and Street Sense's Media Centre, a group of eight vendors were taught basic filmmaking techniques to help them write, direct and shoot short documentaries exploring homelessness in the U.S. capital.
Cinema From the Street - Official Trailer from Bryan Bello on Vimeo.
Tonight's screening will include three films made by Street Sense Filmmakers’ Co-op members
Robert Warren, Reginald Black, Levester Green and Morgan Jones. Each
will give a unique insight into the struggles faced by the homeless, such as finding employment, reconnecting with family and
trying to survive on the streets during a harsh winter.
Street
Sense runs regular workshops to help empower
vendors by teaching them how to tell their stories in creative ways - through writing, theatre, illustration and film - and practical skills to aid them with job applications, fiance management and accessing housing and health care. You can find out more
about Street Sense and Cinema from the Street here.
Cinema
From the Street debuts April 29, 6.30 - 8.30 at E Street Cinema in
downtown Washington D.C. The event includes a Q&A with
the filmmakers and cinematographers.
