Film & Discussion: TINY: The Life of Erin Blackwell

When

Wednesday November 16, 2016: 6:30pm to 8:30pm  Add to Calendar /   Add to Google Calendar

Where

Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Description

The Washtenaw Housing Alliance cosponsors this screening of the 2016 film, "TINY: The Life of Erin Blackwell," as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. (November 12th–November 20th, 2016). The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q + A with members of local human service providers who work to end youth and adult homelessness in Washtenaw County.

The documentary provides an unflinching depiction of intergenerational poverty and the long-lasting impact of homelessness and addiction. The 87-minute film is not rated.

In 1984, director Martin Bell and acclaimed documentary photographer Mary Ellen Mark spent over a year documenting the lives of homeless children living on the streets of Seattle. The film and photographic exhibition that they created during this time–both titled "Streetwise"–portrayed the challenges faced by homeless youth. The documentary film was nominated for an Academy Award.

Mary Ellen and Martin continued filming on and off with one of the film’s characters, Erin (a.k.a. Tiny), for the next 32 years, as Erin battled drug addiction and became a mother to 10 children, half of whom ended up in the foster care system. The filmmakers weave together thirty years of at times devastating footage, including never-before-seen sequences from the filming of "Streetwise," to intimately chronicle Erin Blackwell's complex story