The idea began, as ideas so often do, by accident. The people on the production team of the movie “The Soloist” (based on the true story of a homeless man) were taken by the people they met on location on Skid Row. Many were employed on the film, as extras or as crew support, and the ensuing relationships have led to a new documentary called Lost Angels: Skid Row is my Home.
Now, we all have a backstory, but on Skid Row, the chapters are rougher than most. The filmmakers were inspired not just to chronicle the day to day in this part of our city that’s the opposite of the Hollywood glitz. They’ve become community activists, too, working on behalf of the people who live on the streets. Tonight, their intimate look inside Skid Row opens for a limited run at the Arclight, and for a touch of glitz, actress Catherine Keener has been enlisted as narrator–but the stars are the people and the streets of our city.
I talked to executive producer Gary Foster (who also happened to produce “Sleepless in Seattle” and the TV show “Community”) about how he hopes viewers of the film will be as inspired as he was to service.
And here’s a trailer: