While looking for a place to live in San Francisco back in 2013, French filmmaker Henri Quenette was constantly warned to steer clear of the Tenderloin. Intrigued, he did the exact opposite and turned his exploration into the critically-acclaimed documentary 'Love Me Tenderloin,' which premiered last spring and has been making the rounds at film festivals since.
The documentary tells the story of four diverse Tenderloin residents and aims to give outsiders a deeper perspective on what it's really like to live in one of the city's most notorious neighborhoods and the strong sense of community that ties its residents together. It follows Arnold, the victim of a judicial error resulting in him losing his wife, house and job; Bridchette, a hairdresser, 20-year TL resident and recovering crack addict; "Indian Joe," homeless for 30 years and now residing in a TL SRO; and Woody, a 30-year TL resident and needle exchange volunteer.
If you've missed the film's latest screenings, you can sign up now for St. Anthony's free viewing and discussion scheduled for 6pm-8:30pm this Wednesday, July 22nd, at the St. Boniface Theatre (133 Golden Gate Ave.).
The film will also be shown at 2pm on August 15th at Stagewerx Theater in the Mission as part of the Voiceless International Film Festival. English language DVDs can also now be purchased online for about $17 each.
