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THE PLIGHT OF HOMELESSNESS
About
Homelessness in Canada has grown in size and complexity in recent years. While historically known as a crisis only of urban centres such as Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal, the increasing incidence of homelessness in the suburbs is necessitating new services and resources. The demographic profile of Canada’s homeless population is also changing. In the past men used to comprise the majority of homeless persons, now women and children represent the fastest growing subgroup.
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In “Shelter From The Storm”, Michael Connolly follows one organization dedicated to eradicating the suffering that homelessness can bring though its behind-the-scenes activity -- the strategizing, the debates and the actions – which is putting homelessness into the public arena and pushing governments to act. A group of activists is working with residents of the now famous Toronto shantytown, Tent City, to move the community to a new location. This is one small campaign among many that the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee is working on to address the crisis in affordable housing. The residents of Tent City fashioned their own shelters to ensure their survival. They want a chance to get back on their feet and to do that they need affordable housing. This abandoned land on the shores of Lake Ontario that they’re squatting on is toxic with old industrial pollutants. The owner, Home Depot, wants Tent City off. The City of Toronto and the provincial Ministry of the Environment want Tent City off.
Daniel Cross’ "The Street" is a gritty portrait of 3 homeless men living on the streets near Guy metro in Montreal. Made over a period of 6 years, the film follows the ups and downs of these deteriorating lives and is an intense, intimate portrait of street life. Cross’ approach to filmmaking is as grassroots as it gets! He sees film as a medium for effecting social and political change. Daniel is best known for this feature which has won awards at film festivals around the world. One of Daniel’s most recent project is The Homeless Street Archive, which will empower homeless Canadians to tell their own stories on the Internet.
More than 28,000, according to the latest government estimate, are homeless in Montreal. Most of them converge in the downtown core, where they can maximize their income from panhandling. They're part of the landscape of the street. However there is hope - in December 2009, Quebec unveiled a new $60.5 million, three-year plan to fight homelessness, including measures to improve mid- and long-term housing options for people on the street. After a year of consultations between 10 different provincial ministries and public organizations, the plan is made up of 70 measures that address concerns "expressed by diverse groups in civil society," according to a news release issued by the Ministry of Social Services. The plan is designed to help keep more people off the streets all across Canada, while giving the homeless more housing choices, from short-term shelters to long-term residences, the Liberal government said.
Both of these documentaries shine a light on a growing social problem. Both of them form part of the solution while addressing the problem.
Additional Online Resources
United Way Toronto
Citizen Shift
Intraspec
Raising The Roof
Selected Films (2)
- NFB
- NFB films have influenced the works of filmmakers around the world.
- Most Popular
- Check out what your fellow doc lovers are watching.
- Reel Asian
- Showcasing alumni filmmakers from past Reel Asian festivals.
- The Images Festival
- The Images Festival looks at the dynamics of accessibility.
- Doc Challenge
- A timed competition where filmmakers have 5 days to make a short doc.
- Brian Linehan
- Brian Linehan was best known for his celebrity interviews.
- CitySonic
- Toronto sounds good. It always has.
- TVO - Makes you think
- www.tvo.org
- RIDM
- www.ridm.qc.ca
- Industry Corner 2009
- Video and audio captures of all public series' and industry sessions at Hot Docs.
- Industry Corner 2010
- Festival Industry Sessions from 2010
- Industry Corner 2011
- Festival Industry Sessions From 2011
- Industry Corner 2012
- Festival Industry Sessions From 2012
- Industry Corner 2013
- Festival Industry Sessions From 2013
- Industry Corner 2014
- Hot Docs Industry Sessions Knowledge Capture
- Industry Resources
- Resources to be used in conjunction with video captured 2013 industry sessions.
- Educators
- Doc Library films with educational resources for high school.
- Inspirit Foundation
- Docs about pluralism and diversity of beliefs
- Filmmaker Interviews
- Interviews and Q&A's
- AIDS/HIV
- Aids/HIV Docs
- THE PLIGHT OF HOMELESSNESS
- Docs on Homelessness
- FOR MUSIC LOVERS
- Docs for Music Lovers
- Canadiana
- Films about Canada
- LOVE, THE MANY DOCUMENTED THING.
- Docs About Love
- DEALING WITH DISABILITY
- Docs on Dealing with Disabilities
- GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY
- Docs on Aging
- THE WONDER YEARS?
- Films about Growing Up
- CANADA’S OWN WONDER OF THE WORLD
- Niagara Falls
- DEATH IN ALL ITS FORMS
- Films About Dealing with Death