SHELTER

At Covenant House, located on the outskirts of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana, the doors never close, and there is always room for one more.

On any given day, a constant stream of young people carrying everything they own in plastic garbage bags fills the courtyard.

The prospective residents are just teenagers, but have already been labeled drug addicts, schizophrenics, criminals, prostitutes, and outcasts. As one staff member puts it, “the most damaged population of youth that exists in society today”.

Taking a deeper look into the lives of those unfortunate enough to be homeless, SHELTER seeks to understand both the people who help the homeless and those who live on the streets.

The documentary film works through candid cinematography, letting the viewer be guided by every day life of those caught in the camera eye.

Filming over the course of a full year, brothers Brent and Craig Renaud tell the raw and emotional stories of the incredible kids who seek shelter at Covenant House, and the staff struggling to work miracles everyday on their behalf.