Scripted Feature Film, “No Address,” Brings Hope And Solutions To Homelessness

By: Christos Makridis

“No Address” – a scripted feature film by Robert Craig Films and written and produced by Julia Verdin, founder of Rough Diamond Productions – launched, portraying not only the bleak realities of homelessness and the bitter sadness that comes from an unfulfilled life, but also the impact of demonstrating love and hope to the most needy.

Featuring several leading celebrities, the film is about a group of homeless people who bond together as a family while struggling to survive the streets – fending off a harassing gang, an unforgiving community, and the local authorities in hopes of finding their humanity again. Personalizing the pervasive challenge of homelessness, the film shows how an engaging story can captivate audiences and motivate people to action.

Personalizing Homelessness

The film revolves around the lives of seven characters who form a family to survive the streets:

• Jimmy is a teen who has run away from his abusive parents and helps Lauren by inviting her into his family from the streets. He is played by Lucas Jade Zumann who has starred in Anne with an E, Sinister 2, and 20th Century Women.
• Lauren is a foster child who has been kicked out of her house with nowhere to turn. She is played by Isabella Ferreira who has starred in Love Victor, Marvel's Wastelanders: Wolverine.
• Harris is a veteran, former addict, and excellent painter who sells his pieces for money to help and protect the group. He is played by Xander Berkeley who has starred in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, The Walking Dead, The Mentalist, and others.
• Violet is a veteran with a tough exterior suffering from PTSD and has turned to drugs as a coping mechanism. She is played by Ashanti who is a Grammy award-winning record artist, as well as an actress who has starred in Coach Carter, John Tucker Must Die, and Resident Evil: Extinction, and others.
• Dora: is a former successful actress whose memory and early-onset dementia has led her to a life on the streets. She is played by Golden Globe nominee Beverly D’Angelo who has starred in Coal Miner’s Daughter, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Entourage, and others.
• Robert: is an arrogant, judgmental, financially strapped businessman. He wants to buy the encampment property in a deal that would bring significant financial gain but needs to find a way to get the residents off the land. He is played by actor William Baldwin who has starred in Backdraft, Sliver, and others.
• Gabrielle: A dedicated advocate for the poor works tirelessly to help those experiencing homelessness. She is played by actress and producer Patricia Velasquez who has starred in The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, The Curse of La Llorona, and others.

Robert Craig Films has attracted an incredible cast of actors and artists who have a personal connection to the issue. “I actually wrote a script and got close to writing a documentary that dealt with homelessness in the 1990s… it [homelessness] has been in my head and heart for a very long time,” said Xander Berkeley. “There are a lot of people out there who are very isolated… they want to be seen and to tell their stories,” he continued.

“Homelessness and displaced peoples is such a global problem – it’s everywhere… you go through Vancouver, Los Angeles, and others, and you see it’s real. People have to be aware of how huge it is. Especially after the pandemic, you have so many two parent homes that are even having a tough time and cannot afford everything,” said Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas.

Such a role is especially unique for Ashanti who has had a prolific career in producing music, but it resonates with her passion for highlighting the stories of those who became homeless through no fault of their own, much like Violet in the film. “When I got the description of the character, I was like ‘wow’... the stress of feeling like she’s served the country, but there is no gratitude and compassion. There are so many people who go through this. This is an opportunity for me to show that it’s real and not a choice,” she continued.

Although Lucas has never been homeless, he has witnessed friends who have lost access to shelter when he was growing up in Chicago. “Homelessness resonates closely with me because friends of mine have experienced it themselves because of drug addiction, mental illness, or just not being able to pay rent during Covid,” said Lucas Jade Zumann. “I thank my parents for giving me an appreciation for human life, so I would strike up conversations and friendships with people who are homeless. Wisdom is not always attributed to things that are objectively successful in your opinion,” he continued.

Isabella also had the opportunity to experience the other side of homelessness as she was growing up. “I had foster children living in my home, so I had experience… I took from their stories a little bit and tried to put myself in their shoes when preparing to play Lauren,” said Isabella Ferreira. “At the end of the day, these are just fellow human beings… communication – even making eye contact or waving – can make a big difference in their lives,” she continued.

Mobilizing Towards Solutions

Robert Craig Films will also create a documentary titled Americans With No Address, which will highlight their research journey and provide a set of tools to support advocacy organizations. Organizations that are interested in serving as a corporate sponsor can help by not only providing financial resources, but also opening up their network to connect the team with other experts and local organizers who can be part of the solution across cities.

“On a single night in America, 1.2 million adults and 1.5 million children are experiencing homelessness. The status quo is not working. We need solutions to homelessness that focus on root causes and recovery – not short-term gimmicks,” said Dr. Robert Marbut, the senior executive producer and expert on homelessness. “No Address helps people understand this plight with beautiful and compelling storytelling and, most importantly, how they can help.”

Despite many attempts among federal and state policymakers, coupled with hundreds of reports and research papers, to solve homelessness, the problem has gotten worse over time particularly in big cities. No Address provides a novel approach to personalizing homelessness in an engaging way through the drama of film, motivating viewers to get emotionally involved and creating a broader movement that leads to societal change.

“Both the documentary Americans With No Address and the feature film No Address aren't just about getting people emotionally invested so they take action, but also bringing solutions to the table,” said Robert Craig. “When viewers get emotionally involved, they take action. Bringing homelessness into the viewer's family room means they can connect with a character and go through challenges with them – empathy and curiosity are stimulated. This leads to individuals wanting to get involved and create change, similar to the movement Blood Diamond made,” he continued.

Through compelling storytelling that not only communicates the reality of the challenge at hand, but also builds compassion over the people who are affected, No Address has the potential to catalyze a movement across all ages around solving homelessness and dealing with it at a structural level.