The Art Of Deception is a short film recently released on YouTube by three young Richmond filmmakers. Shot by Domico Phillips, Jonathan Rivas, and Donche Williams, the 15-minute film was edited by Phillips and posted to YouTube this weekend.
The Art Of Deception is a short film recently released on YouTube by three young Richmond filmmakers. Shot by Domico Phillips, Jonathan Rivas, and Donche Williams, the 15-minute film was edited by Phillips and posted to YouTube this weekend.In the film, the three spend 24 hours on the streets of Richmond, having only $5 and what they can carry with them to get through the day.
We appreciate the earnest idea behind this film, but the finished product only scratches the surface of the issue. It feels incomplete, and watching it brings conflicted feelings. Living on the streets for a short time allows one to understand the physical hardship endured by our less fortunate residents, but the psychological struggle takes its toll over a period of time. You can’t get that from just one 24 hour period.
However, the documentary is reflective of the fact that most of us are lucky to have the comforts that we do. Think about that as the snow falls heavy today, and many homeless people struggle to find safe haven as you read this.
On the positive side, it’s great to see obviously young and curious guys find out how the other side lives. It’s becoming rare for college kids to care about much else but themselves; maybe this will inspire more of them to get out and explore the different aspects of our city. We applaud these guys for starting the conversation and spending a day and night in the cold, hard streets of Richmond.
There are more sides to this story to be explored, though. These young directors should reach out to the people working to help the homeless. The stories that these tireless volunteers and caring social workers have to tell can be heartbreaking.
Here’s hoping this is just part one of a more rounded exploration of the issue. Check it out and give these guys props for caring.
For more information about homelessness and how you can help, here are great places to start.
Homeward
Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness
Richmond Homeless Shelters & Services For The Needy
Homelessness in Richmond
Richmond Friends of the Homeless
Here is a short story we ran about the issue in 2009: Forgotten Faces: The Homeless of Richmond
