Summaries

WEST 47th STREET is a feature-length theatrical documentary film. It follows the lives of four people with serious mental illness, over three years. The film provides an unprecedented window on the lives of people who are often feared and ignored, seldom understood. Co-producers Bill Lichtenstein and June Peoples enjoyed an extraordinary degree of access to their lives, and shot more than 350 hours of tape: off and on the street, in and out of hospitals and homeless shelters, healthy -- and psychotic. The resulting stories, both warm and dramatic, are about people who approach tremendous obstacles with humor, optimism and grace.—Anonymous

This award-winning documentary follows the lives of four people with serious mental illness, over three years. The film provides an unprecedented window on the lives of people who are often feared and ignored, seldom understood. Co-producers Bill Lichtenstein and June Peoples enjoyed an extraordinary degree of access to their lives, and shot more than 350 hours of tape: off and on the street, in and out of hospitals and homeless shelters, healthy -- and psychotic. The resulting stories, both warm and dramatic, are about people who approach tremendous obstacles with humor, optimism and grace. At times hilarious and at other times tragic, West 47th Street represents a radical return to cinema verite, without interviews or narration. Set at Fountain House, a rehabilitation program for people with serious mental illness located in New York City's Hell's Kitchen—Anonymous

Details

Keywords
  • illness
  • disability
  • mental illness
  • mentally ill person
  • person with a mental disability
Genres
  • Drama
  • Documentary
Release date Mar 9, 2001
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) TV-14
Countries of origin United States
Official sites PBS
Language English
Production companies Lichtenstein Creative Media

Box office

Tech specs

Runtime 1h 44m
Color Color
Aspect ratio

Synopsis

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