A guy and his friend are playing video games when his mom shouts from other room that it’s time for his friend to go home. The teen asks if his buddy can crash on the couch for another night and he’s allowed.
The scene is from one of the winning films in the Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society’s youth film competition.
In The Couch, directed and produced by Laine MacNeil, a series of sofas then flash on screen, and the young man is seen dragging a discarded car seat down an alley. As he curls up on it, the words “Everybody should have a home” cross the screen.
MacNeil’s one-minute movie was awarded first place in the 12- to 18-year-old category.
In another film, the question is posed: “What is a home?” It asks the viewer to imagine a young man asking for change and you saying no, despite having a pocketful of coins. What if he was your nephew or distant cousin? What would you do to help?
“Imagine that the contribution, no matter how big or small, changed his life around, gave him a chance to start over again? You never know what could happen because the smallest thing for you is the biggest thing for him.”
Directed by Mark Harvey, the film, called What is a Home? took top spot in the 19- to 24-year-old category.
The 2013 competition asked young people to submit films between 30 and 60 seconds long on the theme Everyone Has a Home. They were showcased and the winners were announced at City Centre Library last week (June 26). To watch all the entries, check http://bit.ly/19UbDMX