Inspired by true accounts, Charlie tells the story of a man who spent many years homeless on the streets of Brisbane.
Charlie’s self-loathing and inability to connect with the world is manifested in his reluctance to accept help.
The only kindness he takes is the daily serving of soup from the local soup van that caters for the homeless community.
A volunteer, Angie, tries to connect with Charlie to no avail, and he continues to go about his solitary existence.
But when a street kid named Eddie starts to follow Charlie in an attempt to find companionship, a near accident brings back horrific memories of Charlie’s past and why he ended up homeless.
Charlie finally bares his scars, confessing to Angie how his life forever changed the day his family was killed in a car accident.
The severe impact of this trauma broke Charlie and he was unable to return to his normal life. As he recounts this painful memory, Charlie takes his first steps to self-forgiveness and recovery.
This film aims to change perceptions about the homeless and motivate people to help end this ever-increasing social issue.
For as long as she can remember, Mel has been sensitive to the emotions and connections of those around her, and these observations lay the foundation for her films.
Growing up on a strawberry farm and later in rural Australia gave Mel a spirit of adventure – her most memorable experiences including the Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal and witnessing the splendour of the Gerewol Festival in Niger.
The idea that the human connection is often reached through adversity is one of the themes that have been woven through Mel’s films.
Mel has produced two independent feature films including The Suicide Theory which achieved theatrical release in the US and was Winner of Hollywood Dances with Films – Jury Grand Prize and the Audience Award at Austin International Film Festival.
As a writer/director Mel’s short film Sock and Buskin, starring Leon Cain (i Frankenstein) won the Audience Award at St Kilda Film Festival and short drama Dry, directed by Mel, won the People’s Choice Award at the Australia Independent Film Festival.
Dan Macarthur is a highly experienced and awarded Director/DOP based in Brisbane, Australia and creator of the Dieselpunk Sci-fi franchise, Metropius which won an ACS Gold Award for Dan’s cinematography and recently an AWGIE Award.
Dan directed action comedy feature Nice Package and Anthesis of Man, a short comedy starring Gyton Grantley, which won the Award of Excellence at IndieFest and was nominated for Best Comedy at the St Kilda Film Festival.
As a DOP, Dan won Best Cinematography at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival for neo-noir feature The Suicide Theory and has won ACS Gold Awards in almost every category.
Working with stars like Russell Crowe and Cuba Gooding Jnr on feature films ranging in genre from drama to thrillers to fantasy, Dan’s experience reaches over 20 years in the industry.
'Charlie' tells a truly impacting story which has the power to change audience perceptions and ultimately inspire them to understand and relate to the homeless and take steps to help them.
This film will help to change perceptions about the homeless and will be a powerful tool which can be used to drive support for research and facilities helping the homeless.
18 Degrees Films is looking for a Sponsorship Partnership to help us showcase this film as a persuasive marketing and educational tool.
