The Street: A Film with the Homeless
Encyclopedia
The Street: A Film with the Homeless is a 78-minute 1997 documentary film
about the Canadian
homeless
in Montreal
. The film was directed by Daniel Cross
and produced by him and Don Haig. The production houses were the National Film Board of Canada
and Necessary Illusions Productions Inc.
Made over 6 years, "The Street" is the result of the filmmakers' total immersion into the world of the homeless. It is a gutsy, raw, violent, sad, sexy, moving and intimate study of 3 homeless Montrealers who can be seen mostly near the city's Guy-Concordia
metro (subway) station of Société de transport de Montréal
(STM).
The unique approach of the camera is neither voyeuristic nor judgmental. Characters experience cycles of addiction and recovery, hope and despair - but rise above the street with a sense of dignity, humanity and community. Set in a context which sees our civil society disintegrating and the safety-net collapsing, "The Street" gets deep inside a very complex social issue, beyond mediated stereotypes.
It was nominated for "Outstanding Canadian Documentary," at the Joan C. Chalmers Awards 1997. It was in the Feature Competition at Mumbai International Film Festival, India. It was selected for screening at various other film festivals including International Documentary Festival, Message to Man Film Festival at St. Petersburg, Russia, Galaway Film Fleadh and the Cork Film Festival in Ireland, the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Films in Argentina, Internationales Dokumentarfilmfestival in Munich, Germany and the Atlantic Film Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. The film was directed by Daniel Cross
Daniel Cross (filmmaker)
Daniel Cross a Canadian documentary filmmaker, producer and activist whose films deal with social justice.He is co-founder of EyeSteelFilm with fellow director/producer Mila Aung-Thwin. He is the president of the company...
and produced by him and Don Haig. The production houses were the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
and Necessary Illusions Productions Inc.
Made over 6 years, "The Street" is the result of the filmmakers' total immersion into the world of the homeless. It is a gutsy, raw, violent, sad, sexy, moving and intimate study of 3 homeless Montrealers who can be seen mostly near the city's Guy-Concordia
Guy-Concordia (Montreal Metro)
Guy-Concordia is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is downtown in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network of the metro...
metro (subway) station of Société de transport de Montréal
Société de transport de Montréal
The Société de transport de Montréal is a public transport agency that operates transit bus, and rapid transit services in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(STM).
The unique approach of the camera is neither voyeuristic nor judgmental. Characters experience cycles of addiction and recovery, hope and despair - but rise above the street with a sense of dignity, humanity and community. Set in a context which sees our civil society disintegrating and the safety-net collapsing, "The Street" gets deep inside a very complex social issue, beyond mediated stereotypes.
Festivals and awards
The documentary won the following awards:- Federal Express People's Choice Awards for Most Popular Canadian Documentary & Special Jury Feature Award for Documentaries, both at the Vancouver International Film Festival, 1996
- Best Social Documentary at Vermont International Film Festival
- Silver Hugo Award at the Chicago Film Festival, Chicago, IL, 1998
- People's Choice Award as Most Popular Film & Nomination for "Best Feature," Hot Docs
It was nominated for "Outstanding Canadian Documentary," at the Joan C. Chalmers Awards 1997. It was in the Feature Competition at Mumbai International Film Festival, India. It was selected for screening at various other film festivals including International Documentary Festival, Message to Man Film Festival at St. Petersburg, Russia, Galaway Film Fleadh and the Cork Film Festival in Ireland, the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Films in Argentina, Internationales Dokumentarfilmfestival in Munich, Germany and the Atlantic Film Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada