Seen at SFIFF52: “Empress Hotel”
What is it? Documentary about the Empress Hotel, a transitional housing operation for the homeless, addicted and mentally ill in San Francisco.
How is it? Sweet, even handed and direct in its mission. All this film would like to say is "Homelessness is a problem as complicated as the human beings suffering from it because, in the end, these are people too." It offers no political or social position (admirable given the how flinty the issue is in this town), levies no accusation and cuts no subject a sentimental break. Given how gnarled conversations on this subject can get in a matter of seconds, it's precisely the right strategy.
Empress Hotel is the examination of urban poverty we've been waiting for, an argument, like Dear America, Letters Home from Vietnam for listening over pronouncement, for observation over unneccesary point of view. Bravo.
Should I see it? Immediately. The film plays one more time on the San Francisco International Film Festival's last day (May 6) at 12:15 PM. Should you miss it, pester the filmmakers for a hasty DVD release.