The Advocates

Tell Them We Were Here(en)

Tell Them We Were Here is an inspirational feature-length documentary about eight artists who show us why art is vital to a healthy society and reminds us that we are stronger together.

Living in Tents(en)

In January 2011 Paul Crane discovered a tent city in downtown St. Louis, along the Mississippi River. He was curious as to who these people were, how they ended up there, and what life was like for them each day. He initially thought he would simply go down during the day and capture footage when possible, but he quickly realized that if he wanted to truly capture how these people lived and the full reality of their collective and individual existence, he would have to be there full time and become a part of the place, so he moved in with them.

49 Up(en)

49 Up is the seventh film in a series of landmark documentaries that began 42 years ago when UK-based Granada's World in Action team, inspired by the Jesuit maxim "Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man," interviewed a diverse group of seven-year-old children from all over England, asking them about their lives and their dreams for the future. Michael Apted, a researcher for the original film, has returned to interview the "children" every seven years since, at ages 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and now again at age 49.In this latest chapter, more life-changing decisions are revealed, more shocking announcements made and more of the original group take part than ever before, speaking out on a variety of subjects including love, marriage, career, class and prejudice.

What You’ll Remember(en)

Homelessness in the United States takes many forms. For Elizabeth Herrera, David Lima and their four children, housing instability has meant moving between unsafe apartments, motels, relatives’ couches, shelters, the streets and their car. After 15 years of this uncertainty, the family moved into their first stable housing — an apartment in the San Francisco Bay Area — in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Unconventional: Living Life to the Max(en)

Max Ramsey, an advocate for those experiencing poverty, uses what he has gone through to serve the impoverished community of Milwaukee despite internal struggles and disapproval from the city.

untitled minneapolis project(en)

A homeless man living in a encampment in Minneapolis tells his perspective on the ongoing crisis of homelessness.

Dark Days(en)

A cinematic portrait of the homeless population who live permanently in the underground tunnels of New York City.

This is an Address(en)

Stonewall veterans (including prominent trans activist Sylvia Rivera) and HIV-positive New Yorkers take up residency on the Hudson River piers as cranes raze vacant buildings for a new skyline.

Carts of Darkness(en)

In the picture-postcard community of North Vancouver, filmmaker Murray Siple follows men who have turned bottle-picking, their primary source of income, into the extreme sport of shopping cart racing. Enduring hardships from everyday life on the streets of Vancouver, this sub-culture depicts street life as much more than stereotypes portrayed in mainstream media. The films takes a deep look into the lives of the men who race carts, the adversity they face, and the appeal of cart racing despite the risk.

Facing the Mirror(de)

A documentary about homeless people living in Switzerland.

There But For the Grace of God...(en)

A penetrating look at homelessness in Seattle, the impact on the city, the homeless and the residents who must deal with the crisis. KOMO News' Eric Johnson spent a year piecing together the story of homelessness in Seattle.

The Fight for the Soul of Portland(en)

As Rose City grapples with continued vandalism and homelessness, businesses are hurting and boarded up amid a global pandemic. What can be done to bring Portland back?

En dehors de vos murs(fr)

Just Shoot Me(pt)

The UN estimates street children worldwide at 150 million. In Latin America, they are 40 million. In Brazil, street boys and girls felt so enchanted by a camera that they took it as their own to express themselves and fight the silence.

Beat Goes On(en)

Beat Goes On is an impressionistic portrait of the activist Keith Cylar (1958–2004), co-founder of Housing Works and a central figure in the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power (ACT UP) NY. Cylar spoke clearly, frequently and with moral force about the struggles of people living with HIV/AIDS in New York City, many of whom were impoverished and struggling with multiple social and medical problems. His openness about his own drug use and the centrality of the fight against the criminalization of drugs for AIDS activism make Cylar's legacy especially resonant and relevant at this time. Commissioned by Visual AIDS in 2019 as part of STILL BEGINNING, a program of seven short videos responding to the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Lost in America(en)

Following director Rotimi Rainwater, a former homeless youth, as he travels the country to shine a light on the epidemic of youth homelessness in America.

Monstres de poussière(fr)

Johnny and Goyko were once homeless and are trying to tell their story in a film. It's not an easy road to rediscover the legitimacy of sharing your story. Together, we question the special bonds that documentary filmmaking creates.

Inside(ru)

There is a sterile megapolis outside. Chaos of pain and despair reigns there. People have lost their ability to be people and death is waiting for them everyday and everywhere. On contrary, "inside" is the place where they receive doctors' help. While saving the wretched, the doctors save all of us too.

Someone Lives Here(en)

Chronicles the modern-day David and Goliath tale amidst North America's housing crisis. During the pandemic, Khaleel Seivwright, a young Toronto carpenter, builds life-saving shelters for unhoused people facing the winter outside. His actions attracted international acclaim but also staunch opposition from the city government, portraying a compelling narrative set against the backdrop of societal challenges and governmental resistance.

Quid pro quo(nl)

The film is set on the streets of Groningen and highlights the intimate and invisible parts of Joram, his work and his studio: the street. Both the residents and visitors of the street are captured by Joram's raw, confrontational and intimate portraits. In the film, Joram and the many people he portrays talk about Joram, his work and life.