There’s a fine line between having it all and having nothing.
Founder Sarah Garnett and her partner, cinematographer Shane McLachlan, have produced a documentary about a man called Hank, who they met when he came to The Footpath Library’s original mobile site in Woolloomoolloo eight years ago. The aim of this personal tale is to provoke debate and change people’s attitudes towards homeless and disadvantaged members of our community.
Who is Hank?
Hank is 63 years old. His Polish mother survived Germany’s labour camps and after migrating here with her as a baby, Hank grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs.
What is the documentary about?
‘I Am Hank’ is a narrative about life on the street through the eyes of Hank and his friends. Hank is brutally honest about the effects of depression, self-medication and relationship breakdowns, all too common when living on the street. View the teaser for the documentary below.
You can purchase the full length documentary through Itchy Feet Films.
Why is this documentary important?
Across Australia there are close to 100,000 homeless people registered with government agencies and many more who are not registered. These groups include young people ‘couch surfing’ and those unable or unwilling to register for support. And yet, this is only the ‘visible’ tip of the homeless iceberg. Over 50% of homeless people in Australia are under the age of 25 and many are under 17. This documentary aims to open people’s eyes to the scale of homelessness in their local and wider communities and educate people about homeless and disadvantaged members of our community.
How was the project funded?
The project was largely self-funded including all filming and editing. The generous support from the community meant that the documentary could be finished, including gaining the rights to and be able to record music for the film. Community support also enabled to documentary to be entered into the film festival circuit to help raise the profile of the film.