Films about homeless youth shed light on the struggles and challenges faced by young people who find themselves without a stable place to call home. These films often explore themes of survival, resilience, and the search for identity in the face of adversity. Here is a list of existing films about homeless youth:
“The Pursuit of Happyness”, 2006
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Based on a true story, this film follows the journey of Chris Gardner, a struggling salesman who becomes homeless with his young son. Despite the hardships, Chris never loses hope as he navigates the challenges of homelessness while trying to secure a better future for his family.
Starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandiwe Newton, Brian Howe, James Karen, Dan Castellaneta, Kurt Fuller, Takayo Fischer, Kevin West, George Cheung, David Michael Silverman, Domenic Bove, Geoff Callan, Joyful Raven, Scott Klace, Rashida Clendening, Eric Schniewind, Peter Fitzsimmons, Maurice Sherbanee, Zuhair Haddad, Victor Raider-Wexler, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Darryl Fong, George Maguire, Joe Nunez, Adam Del Rio, Rocky LaRochelle, Erin Cahill, Rueben Grundy, Lo Ming, John Kovacevich, Bonnie Akimoto, Stu Klitsner, Esther Scott, Tina D'Elia, Rev. Cecil Williams, David Fine, George Moffatt, Amir Talai, Mike Garibaldi, Jason Frazier, Kevin Crook, David Haines, James Finnerty, Abigail Van Alyn, Bob Greene, Robert Anthony Peters, Terri Orth-Pallavicini, John Robb, Daniel Wilder!;
Production year: 2006;
Genre: drama, biography;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 117 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8;
More information about the film “The Pursuit of Happyness” on the website imdb.com
“Slumdog Millionaire”, 2008
Director: Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan
This Academy Award-winning film tells the story of Jamal Malik, a young man from the slums of Mumbai who participates in the popular game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”. Through a series of flashbacks, the film explores Jamal's upbringing in poverty and his determination to overcome his circumstances.
Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Mahesh Manjrekar, Irfan Khan, Madhur Mittal, Raj Zutshi, Jeneva Talwar, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Jira Banjara, Sheikh Wali, Sanchita Choudhary, Himanshu Tyagi, Sharib Hashmi, Virendra Chatterjee, Feroze Khan, Sunil Kumar Agrawal, Virender Kumar, Devesh Rawal, Rubiana Ali, Ankur Vikal, Tiger, Chirag Parmar, Nazneen Shaikh, Farzana Ansari, Anupam Shyam, Salim Chaus, Singh Shera Family, Harvinder Kaur, Narendra Singh Bhati, Tanay Chheda, Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala, Satya Mudgal, Janet de Vigne, William Relton, David Gilliam, Mia Drake, Kinder Singh, Christine Matovich Singh, Thomas Lehmkuhl, Siddesh Patil, Najma Shaikh, Saeeda Shaikh, Alka Satpute, Tabassum Khan, Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar, Sitaram Panchal, Nigel Caesar;
Production year: 2008;
Genre: crime, drama, melodrama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 120 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8;
More information about the film “Slumdog Millionaire” on the website imdb.com
“The Soloist”, 2009
Director: Joe Wright
Based on a true story, this film follows the unlikely friendship between a journalist named Steve Lopez and Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless musician with schizophrenia. As Steve delves into Nathaniel's past, he discovers a world of talent and struggles to help him find his way back to the music he loves.
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Nelsan Ellis, Rachael Harris, Stephen Root, Lorraine Toussaint, Justin Martin, Kokayi Ampah, Patrick Tatten, Susane Lee, Marcos De Silvas, Ilia Volokh, Michael Bunin, Mike Nowak, Jena Malone, Octavia Spencer, David Jean Thomas, Lemon, Kevin Michael Key, Moya Brady, Orlando Ashley, Artel Kayàru, J.J. Boone, Annie McKnight, Bernadette Speakes, Anna Levin, Steve Foster, Vivian George, Kevin Cohen, Courtney Andre, Teri Hughes, Linda Harris, Albert Olson, Melissa Black, Valarie Hudspeth, Darryl Black Sr., Kiana Parker, Hazard Banner, Russell Brown, Kenneth Henry, Jacqueline Sue West, Joyre Manuel, Lorinda Hawkins Smith, Annette Valley, Patrick Kelly, Quiana Farrow, Tony Genaro;
Production year: 2009;
Genre: drama, biography, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 117 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,7;
“Moonlight”, 2016
Director: Barry Jenkins
This coming-of-age drama chronicles the life of Chiron, a young African-American man growing up in Miami. The film explores Chiron's experiences as he grapples with his identity, sexuality, and socioeconomic status, highlighting the challenges faced by marginalized youth.
Starring: Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes, Naomie Harris, Janelle Monae, Mahershala Ali, Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome, André Holland, Patrick Decile, Shariff Earp, Duan Sanderson, Caheej McGloun, Kamal Ani-Bellow, Keomi Givens, Eddie Blanchard, Rudi Goblen, Edson Jean, Herveline Moncion, Fransley Hyppolite, Jesus Mitchell, Larry Anderson, Tanisha Cidel, Stephon Bron, Don Seward, Justin Ebenhack, J.C. Gutierrez;
Production year: 2016;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 110 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “Moonlight” on the website imdb.com
“The Florida Project”, 2017
Director: Sean Baker
Set in the outskirts of Orlando, this film follows the lives of young Moonee and her mother, Halley, who live in a budget motel. Through the eyes of Moonee, the audience witnesses the joys and struggles of childhood in the midst of poverty.
Starring: Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, Willem Dafoe, Caleb Landry Jones, Macon Blair, Aiden Malik, Josie Olivo, Edward Pagan, Patti Wiley, Jasineia Ramos, Rosa Medina Perez, Mela Murder, Krystal Nicole Watts, Bronwyn Valley, Kelly Fitzgerald, Sandy Kane, Jim R. Coleman, Andrew Romano, Carolina Grabova, Terry Allen Jones, Karren Karagulian, Sabina Friedman-Seitz, Troy Kohlmaier, Ginger Cook, Tsou Shih-Ching, Marisol Rivera, Carl Bradfield, Joop Katana, Giovanni Rodriguez, Angel Garcia, Latanya Ortiz, Sonya McCarter, John Sutton, Adina Sutton, Betty Jeune, Shail Kamini Ramcharan, Kit Sullivan, Joanne Moreno, Jason Blackwater, Lauren O'Quinn, Hannah Peterson, Cecilia Quinan, Gary B. Gross, Samantha Parisi;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 111 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
“Leave No Trace”, 2018
Director: Debra Granik
This film tells the story of a father and daughter who live off the grid in the forests of Oregon. When they are discovered by authorities, their way of life is disrupted, forcing them to confront the challenges of reintegrating into society while maintaining their independence.
Starring: Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Foster, Jeffery Rifflard, Derek John Drescher, Michael Draper, Peter Simpson, Erik McGlothlin, Dana Millican, Alyssa McKay, Ryan Joiner, Michael J. Prosser, Jeff Kober, Spencer S. Hanley, Tamera Westlake, Bob Werfelman, Isaiah Stone, Jacob Johnson, Art Hickman, Derek Carmon, Zoë Dotson, Dale Dickey, David M. Pittman, Susan Chernak McElroy, Marisa Anderson, Michael Hurley, Stephanie Barton-Farcas, Ayanna Berkshire, Evan Brown, Peter James DeLuca, Mike Harris, Mike D Harris, P.E. Ingraham, Sabina Mach, Eric Sahlstrom, River K. Spencer, Lane Stiemsma, Kyle Stoltz, Tamara Szalewski;
Production year: 2018;
Genre: drama, adventure;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 109 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
More information about the film “Leave No Trace” on the website imdb.com
“Capharnaüm”, 2018
Director: Nadine Labaki
Set in Beirut, this film follows the journey of Zain, a young boy who sues his parents for giving him life in a world of poverty and chaos. Through Zain's perspective, the film sheds light on the struggles faced by vulnerable children in a society plagued by inequality.
Starring: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawsar Al Haddad, Fadi Yousef, Cedra Izzam, Alaa Chouchnieh, Elias Khoury, Mohammad Al Abdallah, Mohamad Abdellatif, Abdo Abdo, Hampig Abraham, Jamil Ahmad, Mohamad Akkar, Elias Akobegia, Riman Al Rafeea, Legamett Alamou, Majd Nabil Alhalabi, Nabil Hasan Ali, Wissam Al Ali, Fatme Aliammal, Khodr Ali Alkhalaf, Faten Asmar, Ahmad Assaf, Mohamad Assaf, Rosina Awtar, Roula Awtar, Shahinour Awtar, Rima Awter, Elean Badrawi, Rinalyn Balderamos, Merlita Bayo, Yemisrach Begasham, Lama Begaum, Minara Begaum, Fe Blanco, Anas Breij, Mohamad Chabouri, Darine Chahine, Samira Chalhoub, Mohamad Chbib, Louais Dandan, Mohamad Darwich, Nasser Darwich, Zakaria Darwich, Jasmine Delore, Ahmad El Beiruty, Mohamad El Beiruty, Mohamad El Hallak, Nour El Husseini;
Production year: 2018;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 126 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,4;
More information about the film “Capharnaüm” on the website imdb.com
These films provide a glimpse into the lives of homeless youth, highlighting their resilience and the urgent need for compassion and understanding in addressing the issue of homelessness.
In the realm of cinema, films about homeless youth have the power to illuminate the often overlooked struggles and resilience of a marginalized group. Through captivating storytelling and powerful performances, these films shed light on the harsh realities faced by young individuals who find themselves without a home. From tales of survival on the streets to narratives of friendship and hope, these movies serve as a poignant reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the importance of compassion in a world that often forgets its most vulnerable citizens. By delving into the lives of homeless youth, these films challenge societal norms and inspire viewers to take action, fostering empathy and understanding for those who often go unseen. With their raw and honest portrayals, these movies not only entertain but also ignite a call for social change, reminding us of the power of cinema as a tool for empathy and advocacy.
