Around 31 million suffer from drug use disorders, most addictions coming from members of poorer populations.
“Outcasts,” an award-winning film, highlights some of these people, and how they have been helped by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. From London to New York to prisons in Central America, these friars take to the streets, bringing back humanity, dignity to so many of these people.
JOSEPH CAMPO
Executive Producer, “Outcasts”
“I was inspired to make this film because I have a great love for the poor. I thought it would be a great way to communicate the poor to the people. To bring them in situations where they would never be able to be into or never see themselves in their life. Some of the situations we came into where dangerous, not just exciting, but dangerous.”
The executive producer confesses he really wanted to highlight the poor in this film and the friars were the way to get to them.
Yet for the friars, this is just their everyday life of mission and vocation.
FR. LEO FISHER
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
“It's their charism as Franciscans, walking alongside the poor. Sometimes these situations are incredible for everybody. So as friars, we're doing this work, but people said, 'You know, this needs to be shown and other people need to see this.' And how beautiful it is to be seen on screen, as an example, so that people can step out and also be able to walk and be able to do this in their lives, however they are challenged.”
The documentary has been screening since summer of 2016 and it continues to be shown all over the world, from the United States all the way to Italy.
JOSEPH CAMPO
Executive Producer, “Outcasts”
“It literally has transformed people's lives in the best way possible. A lot of people have said to me, you know, you took me out of my comfort zone... that was the the plan!” 'It's really about the poor. It's really about the situations the poor are in and also maybe a call to action on how people could help the poor if they are witnessing and seeing the friars work.”
FR. LEO FISHER
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
“I see people who have viewed the film and they are touched. They're touched about people's lives. We as humans are touched about others' lives and what they go through. We realize that some of the things that we go through are not as challenging as maybe what others go through.”
The documentary was filmed over a seven year period in five countries: England, Ireland, Honduras, Nicaragua and the United States.
