Downtown: A Street Tale
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Downtown: A Street Tale is a 2007 American drama film.
Its focus is on a group of teenagers and twentysomethings living in the basement of an abandoned factory on 10th Avenue in Manhattan. Their leader is ex-junkie and hustler Angelo (aka Kick), who serves as a father figure to the motley crew that includes gay African American hairdresser Lamont; mentally-challended Hispanic Tito; Latina stripper Ashley; upper class drug addict Hunter; Romanian prostitute Raquel; and newly-arrived from Texas rock star-wannabe Billy and his pregnant girlfriend Cheri. Added to the mix are social worker Aimee Levesque, who operates the fictional shelter Haven House (based on the real-life Covenant House) and keeps an eye on Angelo and his street kids; and a pornographer, a strip-club owner, and a wheelchair-bound drug dealer. Their stories are told in a series of vignettes unfolding in the days just prior to Christmas.
The melodramatic independent film, written and produced by Joey Dedio (who also stars as Angelo) and directed by Rafal Zielinski. In addition to Dedio, the cast of the Slowhand Cinema release includes Jeremy Alan Richards as Lamont, Johnny Sanchez as Tito, Rachel Vasquez as Ashley, Chad Allen as Hunter, Mihaela Tudorof as Raquel, James Ransone as Billy, Domenica Cameron Scorsese as Cheri, Genevieve Bujold as Aimee, Burt Young as the pornographer, Lillo Brancato Jr. as the strip-club owner, and John Savage as the drug dealer.
The film had its world premiere at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem on April 20, 2007. Following limited releases in New York City and Los Angeles, it was screened twice at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The soundtrack, available on AJM Records, includes a jazz-infused rendition of the Petula Clark classic "Downtown" by Irene Cara and "Children of Color" performed by Clark.
