Friday, March 15, 7:00 PM - Full-capacity screening - Q&A to follow!
Zack Russell | Documentary | Canada | 2023 | 75m
After the screening Lynn LaCroix (they/them) and Preston Trench (he/him), both of whom have worked in community support, will respond to the film and be available for a brief Q&A.
In October 2020, a carpenter named Khaleel Seivwright drives to a remote area of a Toronto park to build a small insulated shelter.
On the front of the shelter he posts two signs: "Anyone is welcome," and the details of a GoFundMe page dedicated to raise money to build more. His idea is simple: to provide unhoused people with tiny, insulated shelters that would keep them safe and warm.
The project soon attracts international attention. With Toronto's homeless population rising, and a long winter approaching, many deem his shelters a life-saving measure. Donations to the GoFundMe surge, allowing Khaleel to redouble his efforts. Before long city officials take issue and send the carpenter a cease-and-desist letter. Undeterred, Khaleel continues building and does his best to convince the world that his shelters are a viable interim measure for people living outside in the cold.
Someone Lives Here follows the story of Khaleel and his efforts to help his community through one brutal Toronto winter. Featuring a diverse cast of characters including government officials, city staff, former Toronto mayor John Tory, tiny shelter residents, and community advocates.
Narrated by Taka, a woman living in one of Khaleel's shelters in Toronto's Alexandra Park, Someone Lives Here captures an important moment in the battle for the soul of the city.
Filmmaker Zack Russell told The Globe and Mail: "The only way to witness these horrors is through revolutionary action because, otherwise, what are you doing besides wallowing in misery? I feel like the spirit of the tiny shelters and the spirit of Khaleel is the spirit one needs to have in order to be a witness like that."
"The pandemic and ensuing lockdowns emphasized socioeconomic disparities in a way not quite felt before. As we were all being told to stay home, Seivwright attempted to give everyone that opportunity." -Rachel Ho, Exclaim
"Seivwright is a low key, inspiring figure to build a documentary around; a person who once experienced homelessness and is now trying to improve the lives of those the city has seemingly forgotten" -Andrew Parker, The Gate
Rogers Audience Award for Best Canadian Documentary - Hot Docs
Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary - Hot Docs
Best Canadian Documentary - Vancouver International Film Festival
Tickets $8.75 ($8 cash at the door if available).
