1995, 18 mins, documentary, Hi 8 

PRODUCTION COMPANY; The Salvation Army Central Division, Melbourne
PRODUCER: David Eldridge AM (now retired Salvation Army Officer)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Major Joe Wilcox
CONSULTANT: Christopher Garcia
DIRECTOR, CO-EDITOR: Angelo Salamanca
CAMERA, SOUND, CO-EDITOR: Mathew Pearce

Director's Notes

In 1995, I was honored to be invited to direct a short documentary / promo for the Salvation Army Central Division, Melbourne.

            Under the auspices of David Eldridge AM, I sought to explore and present confronting issues which the Salvation Army tackles on a daily basis. Disturbing facts regarding the homeless; lack of nutrition in the diets of many unemployed, working sick and working poor; sex workers who chose to work in this field as a last resort; mental illness amongst all age groups; physical and sexual abuse particularly amongst the young; domestic violence perpetrated in all sectors of tour society.

            It was clear to me that far too many people suffer in silence, and that The Salvo’s concerted effort to give voice to these members of the community and assist them in as many ways as possible, is what drives the documentary’s narrative.

            I was saddened to hear of tragic stories told by everyday people struggling to survive on a day-to-day basis. It was often uncomfortable for me as a film maker to be made privy to such heart-rending material but ultimately, I was encouraged to proceed by the notion that such stories must be told and indeed made known to the wider public.