The Boston Film Festival

Julie Giles


            This past Monday I attended the Boston Film Festival with my mom. I thought we were just going to see a documentary featuring my mother’s boss and getting dinner afterwards. In fact, I only agreed to go because of the promise of a meal that was not made in the kitchens of the dining hall. We arrived at the Radisson Hotel and snuck into the hidden theater adjacent to the parking lot. My mother then informed me that this event was actually the Boston Film Festival, a fact I was previously unaware of. The turn-out was modest, made up of mostly friends and coworkers of the documentary and the short that was also being shown. My mother introduced me to her boss, Dr. Jim O’Connell, who in turn introduced me to the film’s director. A little lost, I followed the herd that was being ushered into the theater.

            My knowledge about this film was pretty limited. From my mom’s brief description, I had gathered that this was a documentary following Dr. Jim O’Connell around the streets of Boston. Dr. Jim O’Connell is a doctor at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. My mother, a nurse educator for BHCHP, had talked about this man before. I recalled brief stories of a doctor who was completely devoted to helping the homeless people of Boston. He had personal relationships with each patient he met and has helped countless homeless people find housing and rehabilitation. I was definitely intrigued to see this man at work.

            Before the feature film was shown, however, a short was shown called “The Hub.” This ten minute film weaved its way through the streets of Boston to feature a number of street performers. Although I did feel like the movie was a bit amateur and one-dimensional (not that I am a huge movie critic or anything..), the concept was screaming “Urban Anthropology!” at me. The individuals interviewed in this film all had different perspectives of the city. The skateboarders saw Boston as a playground in which outsiders look at them like they’re “a whole different species of humans,” as one skater puts it. The dancers see the city as a stage to entertain and perform. One dancer sees it as his only way to make a living by doing what he loves. At the end of the film, I had a new opinion about the street performers of Boston: they weren’t showing off, they were doing what they love in the city they love.

            Now for the feature film: “Give Me a Shot of Anything: House Calls to the Homeless.” This single camera documentary followed Dr. Jim O’Connell around the late-night streets of Boston. Dr. O’Connell was going about his every night routine: making his rounds through the alleys and overhangs to check on his patients: the homeless people of Boston. He travels around the city with a medical van containing medical supplies, blankets, soup, and water. The film spends a few minutes with each patient who tells their story while showing the doctor their latest ailments. Instead of pitying and looking down on the homeless people, Dr. O’Connell treats each person with genuine dignity. He has formed personal relationships with every person he has come across. This has allowed the mentally ill and addicts that he treats to trust and respect him. Perhaps the most moving part of the film came when Dr. O’Connell helped an alcoholic man fed up with his condition get into a rehabilitation program. Dr. O’Connell made the calls, had a room saved for the man, and paid for a cab to the center. The other aspect of the movie centered on Dr. O’Connell’s coworkers that work for BHCHP. Each person strives to make life for these struggle people easier. To provide a warm bed to the ailing street dwellers that have not seen a pillow in years. They want to provide a save and trusting environment for these people they see as their equals. The film moved me to tears more than once and I had a newfound respect for my mother and the organization she works for. I walked away with a new opinion on the homeless and realized that we are all people of the same city, the same world, and we all need to treat each other equally. BHCHP is doing this every day.

            This little night out turned into a serious learning experience that I would not have been able to embrace had I not been living in the city and taking Urban Anthropology. I thought I’d share this story on the class blog and give links to the two films. “The Hub” is a quick little film that gives a glimpse into the life of a Bostonian street performer. “Give Me a Shot of Anything: House Calls to the Homeless” is an inspirational film that shines a light on the forgotten members of the city: the homeless. Below are the links to each, check them out!

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