Part of any successful film festival includes a local angle, shedding light on stories directly affecting the crowd attending screenings.

The LA Film Festival has found room for this, and given the vast number of compelling and important stories in Los Angeles (fiction and non-fiction), this will continue to be vital.

Amidst the lineup, The Advocates stands out given it is a topic that is impossible to ignore as an LA resident: the homeless population. It’s a nationwide problem with unmatched peaks in LA. As one subject Mel Tillekeratne says in the film, one wrong turn on your way home and you can stumble across a neighborhood-sized encampment of homeless people. The same story happened to me earlier this year and is commonplace for LA residents.

With the title in mind, the film focuses on the point of view of a few standout social workers on the ground level trying to help individuals get on their feet and make a difference wherever they can. One of them, Rudy Salinas, is constantly running around town, helping people who are suffering from mental illness from self-sabotaging themselves. His care for the individuals has a clear difference, and the film works best when we see him taking such an active role in bettering various people’s lives. We also see the very real burnout. When up against systems that do no favors to the marginalized, it takes an exceptional being to keep at it without losing patience. Advocate Claudia Perez provides a sense of heart, having overcome so much herself and translating that toward returning the favor. Their two stories and the heart and soul of the film.

…perhaps seeing this film can simply remind us all to be more compassionate to our neighbors who do not share the privilege of housing security…

Occasionally the film departs from the vérité approach and discusses the problem from a macro point of view. This is essential, as more education on the subject allows for the individual stories to carry significance. Discussion of various measures on ballots, specifically “HHH” and “H” from two previous elections, ring a bell to LA residents as they’re mentioned. At the time, these seemed like nothing more than a letter on a checklist. Seeing this gives significant understanding to their existence.

Despite the positive message and important topic of the film, there are some technical hiccups that are hard to ignore and unfortunately, detract from its message. Clumsy transitions throughout the entire runtime take away from a sense of unity and make the film feel rough around the edges. The subject of LA homelessness is such a massive problem that the film occasionally suffers from the push-pull of trying to capture it all while still remaining intimate and grounded.

There isn’t a clear takeaway solution, because ultimately a 90-minute documentary can’t whisk away LA’s homeless, and there is so much to be done. What the film does leave viewers with is a sense of renewed appreciation for its namesake: the advocates who are working day in and day out to keep fighting for the individuals against all odds. Their tenacity is courageous and worthy of being championed. Most film festival attendees will not be directly suffering from homelessness: perhaps seeing this film can simply remind us all to be more compassionate to our neighbors who do not share the privilege of housing security, and take extra steps toward supporting our community.

To learn more about how to get involved as a volunteer or supporter of nonprofits featured in this film, visit this website: http://cinemalibrestudio.com/the-advocates/featured-organizations.html

This review originally ran on September 27, 2018, during the LA Film Festival

‘The Advocates’ is not rated. 87 minutes. Opening this Friday at Laemmle Santa Monica.