Reviews
"The devastation of watching these kids is realizing how much they have to give. Their lives are as valuable as mine, or yours, yet due to circumstances, they are given little-to-zero agency over the outcome. Our society operates on money, education, privilege equating access, whereas Roque, Kasey and Anthony are fighting for something as basic as wanting or needing shelter, a place to call theirs." (read more...)
– Fariha Roisin, Indiewire
"When you leave the theater, you leave knowing people who can succeed and have succeeded because of their enormous talent, skill, and the support of caregivers. And you know that many more kids could succeed, and probably won’t, because they didn’t get these breaks--through no fault of their own, but for lack of a social safety net." (read more...)
– Dr. Patricia Aufderheide, CMSI
"The Homestretch is ultimately a humane accomplishment, very much in keeping with a sentiment expressed by a worker from Chicago's Teen Living Programs to a room full of displaced kids: '[Homelessness is] a situation. It's not who you are.'" (read more...)
– Danny King, Village Voice
"The tribulations of high school are well documented, which makes the realities of this film all the more heart-wrenching. Directors Anne de Mare and Kirsten Kelly look at the lives of three homeless teenagers in Chicago as they struggle to graduate and transcend unthinkably difficult upbringings." (read more...)
– Stephanie Merry, The Washington Post
"The Homestretch puts a face on the reality of teen homelessness often “hidden” in plain sight, sometimes silently sitting in high school classrooms unsuspected by classmates and teachers. The Homestretch is a story of poverty, violence, loneliness, and pain." (read more...)
– Bob Duggan, Big Think
"One of the best films to ever be made about the stigma of homelessness, Anne de Mare and Kirsten Kelly’s transcendent, thoroughly objective look at three Chicago teens forced to grow up too fast is heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure without manipulation of the audience.... It’s nuanced, thoughtful, impeccably detailed, and perfect in every possible way." (read more...)
– Andrew Parker, Dork Shelf
"[Social issue films] keep coming at a rapid clip. At the Hot Docs Film Festival, which ends this weekend, I saw a particularly good one, Homestretch, about the homeless youth in Chicago." (read more...)
– Tom Roston, POV Doc Soup
"Documentaries about teens in crisis always pulls at my heart strings. ‘The Homestretch’ was indeed full of heartache but also rich in survival." (read more...)
– thirty four flavours
"The film is brutally honest, and puts a very human face on street kids.... An important, and heartbreaking film." (read more...)
– Mind Reels
"One of my most anticipated films at this year’s Hot Docs is The Homestretch" (read more...)
– Christopher Campbell, Nonfics
"The Homestretch is an interesting and somewhat heartbreaking look at the lives of these youths, and thankfully, offers a few glimmers of hope in what seems like an insurmountable number of social issues." (read more...)
– Pretty Clever Films
"A poignant project four years in the making, The Homestretch offers a rare glimpse into the Chicago Public School System, The Night Ministry's "Crib" Emergency Shelter and Teen Living Programs" (read more...)
– Windy City Times
Media Inquiries
Tim Horsburgh
tim@kartemquin.com
773.472.4366