Life on the street: Teens examine homelessness in MorristownGreen.com Film Fest entry, Aug. 24

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By Adam Casadevall

Have you ever passed homeless people on the streets of Morristown and asked, “How did they get there?” or “What were their lives like before they became homeless?”

Scene from 'Hello, My Name Is,' a short documentary competing for prizes in the MorristownGreen.com Film Festival on Aug. 24, 2013.
Scene from 'Hello, My Name Is,' a short documentary competing for prizes in the MorristownGreen.com Film Festival on Aug. 24, 2013.

If you can make it to the MorristownGreen.com Film Festival on Aug. 24, you will gain some insight into those questions.

Jessica Torres, Connor Taunton and Sarah Kane, students at Morristown High School, have documented the struggles facing street people in their short movie, Hello, My Name Is.

“They’re just normal people,” said Jessica. “We just wanted to show people that the homeless are out there.”

The Sixth Annual MorristownGreen.com Film Festival

Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013

Hyatt Morristown, 6 pm

Admission: Free. Live music: SteppingSTONE Band

Home-grown short documentaries; vote for your favorite!

Bring lawn chair / beach blanket for indoor beach party

Jessica, who will be a junior in the fall, did most of the editing on the piece.  At first she was not interested in filmmaking, she said. But this project has sparked an interest, and she hopes to study communications when she goes to college.

They created the video for Michael Butler’s broadcasting class, and took third place in the high school’s inaugural movie competition during the spring.

Hello, My Name Is  attempts to pry us from our smartphones long enough to observe the plight of those around us.

MG Film Fest 2013 badgeIt may be tempting to ignore or avoid the homeless; one might even demand: Why don’t you just get a job?   

But this short documentary shows that many factors beyond your control can put you on the street.

A man named John describes a former life that included a nice house and a good income; unforeseen circumstances brought it all crashing down.

“It’s an interesting experience,” he says. “I’ve never been in this position but I’m making the best of it, and I know things will get better so I just keep smiling and laughing.”

Many other stories like John’s make this documentary well worth viewing,

Just like Passing Time, another entry that speaks about perspective, Hello, My Name Is makes the viewer look inward as well as outward.  It serves as a reminder that no matter what punches life throws at you, someone out there has it worse…and is struggling to make the best of it.

MG correspondent Adam Casadevall, a Morristown High School alumnus, graduated recently from Rutgers with a degree in journalism and media studies.

MORE ABOUT THE 2013 MORRISTOWNGREEN.COM FILM FESTIVAL

And while you’re marking your calendar, don’t forget to check Aug. 17, when the third annual Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival brings a star-studded lineup to the Morristown Green.

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