S.P.I.T.: Squeegee Punks In Traffic

feature documentary

A film by and about squeegee kids and their day-to-day life

The narrative unfolds from the point-of-view of a single character named Roach. As part of the filmmaking process, he’s been given a camera to document his world. The footage he gets is urgent, because there’s a war against squeegee kids.

This documentary is from the point of view of the kids themselves, in order to provide alternative voices. Roach’s camera is positioned behind “enemy” lines: living in derelict buildings, squeegeeing for money, being hunted by police. The viewer is forced to look at the living reality of Roach and his friends: hungry on the streets in one of the world’s most prosperous countries—considered thugs, criminals, and enemies.

This film shatters the windshield between Us and Them. Roach’s camera acts as the hammer: hard, forceful, direct, impacting with the force of an actual life. Cross’ camera documents the impact: recording the reflections of individual lives, mirrored upon the shards of flying glass.

Festivals

• Festival International du Nouveau Cinéma et des Nouveaux Médias de Montréal
• Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de Montréal
• Nemo, Paris
• Goteborg Film Festival, Sweden
• Images du Nouveau Monde, Québec
• Local Heroes, Edmonton
• Special Screening at l’Assemblée Nationale du Québec
• Florida Docufest
• Docupolis Festival, Spain
• Australian International Documentary Conference
• CAUS(e): Canadian Australian Underground Shorts Event
• East Lansing Film Festival, Michigan