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Director: Rob Fruchtman and Rebecca Cammisa
Cast: Sister Helen Travis and Travis Center residents,
Mel, Ashish, Major, and Robert.
Country: U.S.
Year: 2001
Running Time: 90 min
Format: Beta SP
 While
the distortions of fundamental faith - radical Islam, Jerry
and Pat's weird view of 9/11, church leadership systematically
denying sexual deviancy - are all around us, Sister Helen
explores the strength and courage that can come from a deep
belief in a Higher Power.
After the murder of one of her son's and the alcohol related
loss of her other son and husband, a hard drinking sixty-something
Sinatra fan transmogrifies herself into a Benedictine nun
called Sister Helen. She sets up a private halfway house in
the South Bronx, the poorest Congressional District in the
country. She lives with 21 men of mixed race and economic
backgrounds who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, or both.
In the manner of Vince Lombardi, Sister Helen loves these
men. She runs a tough place. The rules include: required attendance
at group meetings, random and humiliating urine samples, strict
curfews, no lying, and any other thing Sister Helen wants
when she wants it. She loves life and is often funny, but
she is always on guard. The best defense is a good offense.
"HELLO!?," she shouts, trying to catch mistakes before they
happen, but, in the spirit of her faith, her love is undiminished
when they do.
She sleeps fitfully because any one of her charges might
jump the tracks if she misses something. She is old and in
pain. The emotional baggage she carries around from her imperfect
life weighs her down like Willy Lomans' suitcases. But she
does not quit. Whatever the viewers' religious background,
one cannot avoid Sister Helen's power.
Sister Helen won the Documentary Directing Award at Sundance
2002.
--Jed Dietz
Presented By: Rob Fruchtman and Rebecca Cammisa
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