Homelessness is never an easy subject to tackle as so many people are aware that is going on around them but unless they are affected by it personally tend not to have too much to do with it or understand what goes on in order for someone to find themselves in that situation.
This short film Deleted follows the last five hours of Ahmed Sadiqqi Hussein before he is evicted from his North-West London home and becomes homeless. His circumstances as we learn have been brought on due to late payments and rigid sanctions set out by the DWP.
Incredible close-up camera work looks directly into Ahmed’s soul through his eyes and his incredibly calm demeanour before he’s about to become homeless. The audience witnesses an intimate biographical account from this very intelligent and articulate man. It’s very easy for the viewer to connect with him and feel overwhelming empathy towards him.
Although there’s no happy ending to this particular documentary film you are left with a sense that you have been privileged to have met Ahmed through the direction of Stephan Pierre-Mitchell. The intimate way in which the story unfolds in front of you allows a greater understanding of how barbaric the cuts made by the DWP are impacting on everyday lives of people that you wouldn’t necessarily suspect to be having these traumatic difficulties.
Ahmed tells Pierre-Mitchell that “I’m better off homeless than on a system so bureaucratic and dehumanising. I’d rather die on the street ” how dare a system to reduce anyone to believe that this is their preferred way to end their days. I am both saddened and disgusted by this statement.
As an active supporter in a local homeless charity, I was already aware of some of the issues that were raised and the statistics that surround homelessness and I would urge anyone to go and read up on the links below as to what actual statistics are and gain a greater understanding at just how easy it is to become homeless.
Follow the links underneath to read more on the life of Ahmed and Directer Stephan Pierre-Mitchell. Along with homeless statistics information.
Film Documentary: Deleted directed by Stephan Pierre-Mitchell
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics
For anyone concerned or needing advice on homelessness use the following links.
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