By 1808Delaware
This April, residents of Delaware County are invited to take part in a unique and thought-provoking film series, Delaware Community Conversations: Meaningful Movies – The Housing Challenge. Hosted at The Strand Theatre and presented in collaboration with the United Way of Delaware County and the Delaware County Housing Alliance, this six-event series blends the power of storytelling with real-world conversations on homelessness, housing instability, and hope.
Each Monday evening—and culminating with a panel discussion—audiences will explore personal stories, systemic challenges, and community-based solutions surrounding housing insecurity. The goal: to inspire collective understanding and action toward ensuring safe, affordable housing for people of all income levels.
The first 50 attendees at each screening will receive a FREE ticket, with doors open 30 minutes before each event.
A Lineup That Tells the Human Story Behind Housing Instability
April 1 at 7:00 PM – The Pursuit of Happyness
This inspiring true story of a struggling salesman and devoted father shows how determination can overcome the odds—even when homelessness looms. Starring Will Smith in one of his most acclaimed roles.
April 8 at 7:00 PM – The Public
Set in Cincinnati, this powerful 2018 film dramatizes a standoff between the police and homeless library patrons seeking shelter from deadly winter weather. It’s a poignant reflection on public spaces and human dignity.
April 15 at 7:00 PM – The Fisher King
In this 1991 classic, a disgraced radio DJ finds redemption and meaning through an unexpected friendship with a mentally ill homeless man, offering a deeply human portrait of trauma and healing.
April 22 at 7:00 PM – The Lady in the Van
This charming British drama captures the strange-but-true relationship between a writer and an eccentric homeless woman who lives in a van in his driveway for 15 years.
April 29 at 6:00 PM – Under the Bridge: The Criminalization of Homelessness
This eye-opening documentary takes viewers under a bridge in Indianapolis, revealing the harsh realities and systemic failures that criminalize the homeless in America.
Bringing It All Together: A Conversation About Solutions
April 30 at 6:00 PM – Panel Discussion: Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness
The series concludes with an impactful panel discussion exploring how communities across the nation—and right here in Delaware County—can address homelessness in meaningful, comprehensive ways. Inspired by the journey of the Under the Bridge film crew, which visited over 40,000 miles of communities to uncover grassroots solutions.
Where It All Happens
All screenings and the panel take place at: The Strand Theatre, 28 East Winter Street, Downtown Delaware – strandtheatreoh.org.
Come early, grab your free ticket, and stay for a powerful conversation. Because when we watch together, think together, and act together—we create stronger communities.
Image by Leo Fontes from Pixabay
