Two Upcoming Films

These films will be screened at the Vancouver International Film Centre & VanCity Theatre. Click titles for more information:

It Was a Wonderful Life
The Street and the Forgotten Woman
USA, 1993, 82 min,
Directed By: Michèle Ohayon

In this award-winning festival standout, Academy Award-nominee Michèle Ohayon presents a riveting and powerful account of six women who are members of America’s “hidden homeless” population. Narrated by Jodie Foster, and with an original musical score by Melissa Etheridge, this heart-wrenching film expertly captures the hardships and triumphs these courageous women experience in their daily struggle for survival. You won't see them on street corners, hand held out for change. At first glance you would not even realize that they are women without homes. They are clean, educated, well-groomed and articulate. It Was A Wonderful Life follows the stories of six different hidden homeless women as they struggle to survive, one day at a time, and find a place for themselves in a society ill-equipped to deal with the “used to haves.” With strength, humour and pride, these women manage to survive. They challenge our notion of who can feel secure in our society.

“Compassionately insightful...highlights the need to aid people before they are hopeless as well as homeless.” — Booklist


Bevel Up
The Street and the Forgotten Woman
Canada, 2008, 90 min,
Directed By: Nettie Wild

Nettie Wild’s Bevel Up explores a key question facing healthcare providers across this country—how can a nurse or outreach worker deliver effective and compassionate health care to people who use drugs? At the heart of Bevel Up is a compelling documentary following a team of street nurses through their day-to-day work in the alleys and hotels of Vancouver’s downtown eastside. The footage is startling in its intimacy, compassion and real-life drama. Most importantly, the nurses reflect on attitudes they bring to their work—attitudes that can make or break the relationship needed to successfully provide practical and nonjudgmental health care. But Bevel Up is more than a 45 minute documentary, as Wild also uses an interactive DVD to combine the cinéma vérité documentary with three-and-a-half hours of teaching menus. This extended format encourages the viewer to delve deep into relevant ethical, practical and legal issues that confront healthcare providers on a daily basis in big cities and small towns across Canada. Leading experts in their field address key subjects such as Drugs and the Brain, Pregnancy, Mental Health, Prohibition and Sex Work.

A member of the street nurse team will join Nettie Wild for both screenings at the Vancity Theatre. The documentary will be followed by a selection of menu items selected in response to questions and issues raised by the audience. Run time on this event is approximate.