HFF 2015 Interview: Homeless Director/Co-Writer Clay Hassler

Filmed in a real shelter with real homeless people, Homeless tells the story of Gosh (Josh), a teenage boy lost in the bleak routine of life in a shelter. Everyday, from sunup until sundown, Gosh is put out on the streets, unable to return to the shelter until 7 p.m. During the day, he seeks refuge from the cold in the downtown public library and a local coffee shop. He feels alone and anonymous in a seemingly connected world. Weeks go by and the long days and sleepless nights begin to wear on him, and he becomes increasingly discouraged when he finds it almost impossible to find a job with the shelter as his address. But suddenly his circumstances change for the better and he finds himselfadapting to a new home, new friends and looking forward to a future that he hopes will last.

Homeless is a 2015 Heartland Film Festival Official Selection, Narrative Feature.

We spoke with Director/Co-Writer Clay Hassler about his film:

HF: What is your film about, and how did the project come to be?

CH: Homeless tells the story of a teenage boy lost in the bleak routine of life in a shelter after the passing of his grandmother.

This film is based on a true story about a dear friend of mine who I met in Winston-Salem, NC, in the fall of 2011. He asked me to help him write a memoir about his time in the shelter, and I asked him if we could write a script and make it into a movie. He loved the idea.

HF: What was your role in the production?

CH: I served as co-writer, director, cinematographer, and editor on this film.

HF: Why did you submit to the Heartland Film Festival? Have you been to the Festival before?

CH: I was born and raised in southern Indiana and so for me it’s a real honor and privilege to bring my debut feature film to my home state. Heartland Film Festival has a history of great programming and putting on terrific events. We couldn’t pass it up.

HF: This year’s tagline is “Movies That Stay with You” – what lasting effect will your film have on moviegoers?

CH: This movie absolutely 100% stays with you — whether you like it or not. We hope this film challenges your perceptions about homelessness and opens your eyes to the humanity of this great crisis. It’s not supposed to be educational, but instead, personal.

HF: What has inspired you to become a filmmaker?

CH: My father is a professional photographer so I grew up around images that tells stories and make us feel something. My family has always kept sacred the art of movie watching and we take it very seriously. I’ve always found it remarkable what one person — or many people — can do with a camera.

HF: What is something that you know about filmmaking now, but you weren’t told when you started your career?

CH: I would say don’t hold out for that special project. Be a part of everything and anything. Filmmaking is a craft and it requires discipline. The more you place yourself behind the camera, the more you will discover your voice and how you as a filmmaker can navigate around and through narrative challenges. You can spend your whole like making movies and never really discover exactly what you’re trying to say or what your point of view is.

HF: What are some of your favorite movies? What’s your favorite worst movie (you know it’s bad, but still love it)?

CH: I’m particularly enamored with the films by Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond The Pines). I also love Jane Campion’s The Piano and I am constantly in awe of the films by the Dardenne brothers. If you haven’t seen Two Days, One Night, stop what you’re doing and watch it now. Wild Hogs would have to be my guilty pleasure film.

HF: How many film festivals has your film been a part of? What do you like the most about the festival experience?

CH: The 2015 Heartland Film Festival will be our 10th festival this year. The best part of the festival experience is being in an environment where cinema is king. You pretty much get along with everyone at a festival. I love meeting the programmers and other filmmakers, talking shop, and building relationships that will most likely last a lifetime.

HF: Heartland Film Festival moviegoers love filmmaker Q&As. Let’s say a Festival attendee wants to earn some brownie points—what is a question that you’d love to answer, but haven’t yet been asked?

CH: What does it take to get your movie to this point? Did you ever want to give up? And I would answer, “Everyday. But your have to persevere. Making any film, narrative or documentary, short or feature, is no easy task.”