American Vagabond
Susanna Helke:
American Vagabond (Finland, 2013)
85 min. - English - Finnish subtitles
K-12
Susanna Helke became known for her brilliant documentary Joutilaat aka The Idle Ones. Her most recent work, American Vagabond, tells the melancholic story of the homosexual youth living in the streets of San Francisco. According to the statistics, 20-40 percent of the USA’s homeless youths are living on the street due to their sexual orientation. Helke took interest in their conditions after moving into San Francisco in 2006. She found a different side to the city outside its reputations as a veritable Eden for the sexual minorities.
Lovers James and Tyler are the focus of American Vagabond. Abandoned by their families, they move to San Francisco in search of a more tolerant atmosphere. However, the truth turns out to be grimmer than their expectations. They try to contact the local communities, but the grey city and its masses cast them out. The only solace is offered by their love in which they cling to desperately.
Helke’s direction, Marko Luukkonen’s fascinating cinematography and Sauli Kosminen’s music take American Vagabond beyond the conventional documentary. It is a film that can fully be appreciated only from the big screen. The story of James and Tyler, and the bleak images presented makes you wonder why love is still the greatest sin of them all. American Vagabond won’t let you off easy but it offers a powerful experience in return.
Thu 14th Nov at 9:00pm Tapio 3