The Campbell River and District Coalition to End Homelessness is screening the documentary “Us and Them” to help shed light on the reality of people living outside in Campbell River.
The event is on Sept. 16 from 7 until 9 p.m.
The movie was filmed in Victoria over the course of 10 years. Filmmaker Krista Loughton befriended four chronically homeless people, which turned them from “faceless apparitions wandering the streets” to friends and family — according to homelesshub.ca.
“It really gives you a chance to see these people for who they are and learn a bit about where they came from,” said CRDCEH coordinator Stefanie Hendrickson.
The Coalition is hosting a screening of the film in partnership with the Tidemark Theatre, the Campbell River and District Chamber of Commerce and the Strathcona Community Health Network.
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”The situation is intense and communities are divided as we grapple with the converging crises of homelessness, overdose, and COVID-19,” says the event Facebook Page.
“I think it’s really important that we are able to provide opportunities for the community to see people experiencing homelessness as people who are going through a very difficult time and often have some very difficult experiences in their lives,” added Hendrickson. “The film does a really good job of portraying that.”
In addition to the screening, the event will feature a panel discussion with the filmmaker, as well as people working to prevent homelessness in Campbell River.
“They’ll be able to answer questions that come up for anyone in the community that come up from watching the film or any questions about homelessness in the community. They’ll be able to speak to those questions,” Hendrickson explained.
Tickets to the film are free, and the Tidemark will be offering a hybrid live and streaming model. Donations to the coalition will be accepted at the door.
”We just want as many people to attend as possible. That’s why we’re making it free,” Hendrickson said. “We just hope that the community shows a lot of support. Hopefully people are excited to either get out and see a film, or stay in and see a film after all of this COVID and not being able to do that.”
The Tidemark can have 50 per cent capacity, or 230 people.
Event attendees will need to show vaccine cards showing at least one dose and will need to wear masks.
Tickets are available at https://tidemarktheatre.com/event/us-them/. Virtual tickets will include links to view the film and subsequent panel discussion.
RELATED: Most of Campbell River’s unhoused were homeless for the first time as youth
marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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