The Stairs
DOCS D: Hugh Gibson. Canada. 95 minutes. Sep 12, 9:45 pm, Hot Docs Sep 14, 6:30 pm, Scotiabank 11 Sep 16, 3:15 pm, Jackman Hall. Rating: NNNN
Toronto filmmaker Gibson explores life in Regent Park through the stories of several residents associated with the Street Health program, which provides safe injection kits and other services to the community.
Filmed over the course of five years, and letting people tell their own stories in their own words, The Stairs is a work of deep compassion for those who’ve made their way back from the depths of addiction, even if they’ve slid back a bit in the process.
As one of them points out, recovery is a struggle that never really ends – and Gibson shows us that isn’t a cliché, but a day-to-day reality.