Being homeless in Bangor explored in new documentary film

A college-educated mother of two who lives in Bangor’s largest homeless encampment after losing her job and home during the pandemic.

A man who became homeless after he was released from a 25-year prison sentence for transporting drugs and later got a job and a Bangor apartment using a government voucher.

These are some of the people featured in a new documentary about rising homelessness in Maine and what’s being done to address the issue. The film, “Building Hope,” produced by Sedgwick-based media company Kane-Lewis Productions, will premiere in Castine on Friday.

Melody Lewis-Kane, one of the film’s producers, said her own experience of growing up in poverty — sharing one room with her six family members and never knowing whether there would be food on the table — motivated her to make the film.

“This was our opportunity to put a face on the issue of homelessness and help people understand it,” Lewis-Kane said. “These people are human, and all humans deserve respect and dignity.”

The documentary features people who have been or are currently homeless in Bangor, how they became homeless, the challenges they face daily and the barriers to get help . This humanizes an issue that has been growing locally and statewide in recent years.

While Bangor has gotten people into housing under the guidance of a federal disaster relief team , and local organizations are doing what they can to assist those in need, homelessness is still present and people continue to sleep on city streets at night.

“It has been a difficult and heartbreaking project,” producer Richard Kane said. “There are so many reasons someone becomes homeless, but there are so many organizations that can help.”

While the documentary discusses barriers people face to get help, like the dearth of affordable housing in Maine, it also touches on potential solutions, such as the “Housing First” model. It emphasizes getting homeless people into housing, Kane said, as that provides a foundation for them to make progress in other areas, such as accessing mental health services or substance use recovery resources.

Lewis-Kane and Kane said they hope “Building Hope” helps viewers see homeless people as their neighbors, realize anyone can become homeless for a multitude of reasons and inspires them to be part of the solution. That could mean volunteering or asking lawmakers to champion legislation aimed at reducing homelessness.

“We want people to become interested, involved and educated on how they can help end the suffering,” Kane said. “We want people to feel what it’s like to fall through the cracks. It’s a very lonely existence.”

The film will premiere on Friday at 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Castine followed by a panel discussion that will include people featured in the documentary.

For those who can’t attend the premiere, a Zoom link to watch it is available to anyone who requests it by emailing office@uucastine.org.