Housing, Story
January 1, 2016
The Lowdown Tracks
About the Film:
Lowdown Tracks (dir: Shelley Saywell) is an acclaimed documentary film that celebrates the music and stories of those living on the margins of Canadian society.
Voted top Canadian Audience Choice award at Hot Docs in 2015, Lowdown Tracks has been identified as a highly effective call to action, addressing mental health stigma and issues of homelessness in Canada. The film’s main subjects are talented street musicians and the face of some of Canada’s most vulnerable individuals.
Catherine Donnelly Foundation Support:
The CDF provided funding for The Lowdown Tracks Impact Initiative – which involved using the documentary film as a tool for community engagement and positive social change. In partnership with The Canadian Alliance To End Homelessness, Lowdown Tracks was utilized by 75 community groups and housing organizations and was screened to 3,000+ people across eight provinces. The project was able to:
- Raise awareness and understanding about the issue of homelessness in Canada
- Change perceptions and attitudes towards people experiencing homelessness.
- Inspire action, get audiences involved in solving homelessness in their community.
- Support the talented street musicians in the documentary and empower other artists with lived experience of homelessness
The project also involved producing Songs From The Lowdown, a soundtrack CD from the documentary featuring unforgettable original songs from musicians who have experienced homelessness. The Songs From The Lowdown CD was promoted to screening audiences with proceeds from sales going directly to support the musicians featured in the film.
Read more about the film on the hotdocs archive.
Support the musicians and buy their music on iTunes.
Contact lowdowntracks@gmail.com for more info.