Will Jones
On any given night, more than 700,000 people in the United States experience homelessness, and globally the figure exceeds 100 million. HOMELESS, a new documentary directed by Valerio Zanoli and released with the National Coalition for the Homeless, reframes these numbers as human stories. The film begins streaming April 24 on most major platforms.
Filmed in Las Vegas, where luxury resorts tower over makeshift encampments, the documentary highlights the stark contrast between wealth and precarity. But homelessness is not just a local issue; rising rents, stagnant wages, gaps in mental health care, and systemic inequities make it a national crisis.
Rather than depicting homelessness as an individual failing, the film focuses on systemic causes. “This film makes it clear that homelessness is not an individual shortcoming, but the result of broken systems and failed policies,” states Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. “HOMELESS calls on all of us to recognize our shared responsibility and to act with urgency and humanity.”
For Zanoli, the project is about restoring visibility. “Too often, homelessness is discussed in numbers or headlines, not in human terms,” he says. “This film is about restoring dignity and visibility to people who are too often ignored. If we allow ourselves to truly see one another, change becomes possible.”
The film combines personal stories of people experiencing homelessness with perspectives from advocates and leaders at the Nevada Homeless Alliance, the Nevada Housing Coalition, and the ACLU of Nevada, showing how policy gaps perpetuate the crisis. It premiered at the World Urban Forum convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, highlighting its relevance to the global #HousingMatters initiative.
Emotionally, the documentary is anchored by the original song “One World One Home,” performed by Bonnie Tyler (“Total Eclipse of the Heart”) with the Dallas Street Choir, reinforcing the film’s message that housing insecurity is a shared societal challenge.
Zanoli, a USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate, gained attention with his 2021 film Not to Forget, a touching exploration of Alzheimer’s that showed his gift for storytelling with both heart and purpose. HOMELESS continues that trajectory, with all profits from distribution and music dedicated to supporting affordable housing for underprivileged families. Distributed by Buffalo 8, the documentary combines intimate storytelling with close collaboration with advocates and community leaders in a way few films attempt. With HOMELESS, Zanoli solidifies his reputation as a director to watch, one whose work not only illuminates pressing social issues but also inspires tangible change.
At a moment when public discourse often swings between compassion fatigue and political polarization, HOMELESS delivers a quieter but powerful disruption. The film does not provide a policy roadmap but insists that housing is a basic human right. By centering the voices of those most affected and highlighting the work of experts and community leaders, HOMELESS demonstrates the power of storytelling to drive awareness and change. More than a documentary, it shows that the American housing crisis is not inevitable and that society can, and must, confront it together.