Synopsis
Community First, A Home for the Homeless, is a documentary about Community First! Village which is a unique residential development that is transforming the lives of homeless people through the power of community. As explained by the founder Alan Graham, “It is specifically designed to lift the chronically homeless off the streets of the Austin area offering them a place to call home, helping them to heal from the ravages of life on the streets allowing them to rediscover a purpose in their lives.”
Community First! Village is not a homeless shelter. Everybody pays rent, there are no exceptions. Residents are given the opportunity to earn a dignified income working at the Village in a variety of areas such as the Genesis Gardens, the Community Cinema (a beautiful amphitheater built by Alamo Drafthouse), the Community Inn, or in the maintenance department. With open access to an “art house” and blacksmith shop, residents also have the opportunity to produce handmade goods that are sold in the Community Market. You’ll hear about the heartbreaking events that cause homelessness, and the heartwarming stories of being welcomed into a nurturing environment where dignity and self-worth are restored.
Filmmaker Biography
Layton Blaylock is an award-winning filmmaker, director, director of photography, and a founding partner in Inferno Films. His feature documentary Art From the Streets was accepted at over 30 film festivals around the world, winning ten awards, including 5 for Best Documentary. Art From the Streets was another passion project about an art program for homeless people. The plight of the homeless is a subject near and dear to Layton’s heart, and he has found a subject with Community First! Village that he hopes can make a real impact on our cities and towns across the country by helping the homeless get off the streets and transform their lives. However, what Community First, A Home for the Homeless will show is that it takes more than just housing, it takes a community. Layton has worked on a wide range of productions including documentaries, feature films, TV shows, and informational films over his 40 year career as a cinematographer, director, and producer.
Schedule
- Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, AL. Tuesday 2/4/2020
- North Central Louisiana Arts Council, Ruston, LA. Thursday 2/6/2020
- City of Hapeville Hapeville, GA. Saturday 2/8/2020
- Townsend Center/University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA. Monday 2/10/2020
- Bologna Performing Arts Center/Delta State University, Cleveland, MS. Tuesday 2/11/2020
- Arts Council of Central Louisiana, Alexandria, LA. Wednesday 2/12/2020