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My Street
The Kiwis
The range of lifestyles on the street varies dramatically within yards of each other. In a 24-hour party house of New Zealanders, Camilla explains how the volume of residents can fluctuate: "There's about nine of us at the moment. If we've got dossers they could crash on the couch, so sometimes we go up to fourteen, even more."
The range of lifestyles on the street varies dramatically within yards of each other. In a 24-hour party house of New Zealanders, Camilla explains how the volume of residents can fluctuate: "There's about nine of us at the moment. If we've got dossers they could crash on the couch, so sometimes we go up to fourteen, even more."
The street's oldest resident
Several large houses have just one person living there, including the street's oldest resident, Alek. He has lived in the same house for fifty years but says he doesn't know anybody in the street… With a twinkle in his 91-year-old eye he says – "I never did live in the street. I always lived in this house, but not in the street." With only his cat and the pigeons for company since his wife died he says he has grown "accustomed to being lonely, so it doesn't hurt me."
Several large houses have just one person living there, including the street's oldest resident, Alek. He has lived in the same house for fifty years but says he doesn't know anybody in the street… With a twinkle in his 91-year-old eye he says – "I never did live in the street. I always lived in this house, but not in the street." With only his cat and the pigeons for company since his wife died he says he has grown "accustomed to being lonely, so it doesn't hurt me."
Strong community spirit
Just over the road Keith and Ali experienced first hand the neighbourliness that can exist. With his wife Ali at work, a group of neighbours rallied round to take terminally-ill Keith to hospital for daily treatments of radiotherapy: "They wrote their names again each day for seven weeks. And for seven weeks they took me in every day." Keith is still alive, after opting for radical treatment to cheat death. As Ali says, they now live: "a day at time."
Just over the road Keith and Ali experienced first hand the neighbourliness that can exist. With his wife Ali at work, a group of neighbours rallied round to take terminally-ill Keith to hospital for daily treatments of radiotherapy: "They wrote their names again each day for seven weeks. And for seven weeks they took me in every day." Keith is still alive, after opting for radical treatment to cheat death. As Ali says, they now live: "a day at time."
The impersonator
Forty-year-old Caroline provides the film with some of its stranger moments as her front door opens and Margaret Thatcher, Sharon Osborne or Cherie Blair emerge. Caroline is an impersonator and voice over artist whose successful career, she reveals in the film, may have come at some cost to her personal life. She's just begun internet dating and is discovering that men are less than honest about themselves.
Forty-year-old Caroline provides the film with some of its stranger moments as her front door opens and Margaret Thatcher, Sharon Osborne or Cherie Blair emerge. Caroline is an impersonator and voice over artist whose successful career, she reveals in the film, may have come at some cost to her personal life. She's just begun internet dating and is discovering that men are less than honest about themselves.
Difficult lives
Director Sue Bourne also discovers some of the hidden people in the street. People like Joseph and Adam who are rarely noticed by their neighbours. Young men struggling to live independently and cope with their many problems. Both with remarkable stories to tell but sad, difficult lives tinged with tragedy both behind and ahead of them.
Director Sue Bourne also discovers some of the hidden people in the street. People like Joseph and Adam who are rarely noticed by their neighbours. Young men struggling to live independently and cope with their many problems. Both with remarkable stories to tell but sad, difficult lives tinged with tragedy both behind and ahead of them.
Please note: At the request of those who took part in this film, the Street has not been named or identified and no house numbers are shown.
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