Box City: an original Balitang America documentary

San Francisco, California is home to some of the richest neighborhoods in America. But it has also become a refuge for the poor, the destitute, the homeless.

Based on the city’s latest homeless count, close to 7,500 are homeless in San Francisco.

Homelessness may not be as prevalent among Filipinos, known for their deep family ties and strong sense of community.

But there are homeless Filipinos in San Francisco. Balitang America found them living in an encampment they called Box City.

In their moments of despair, these Filipinos turned to strangers for help. And these strangers became their family…their community.

Box City documents their first few months at the encampment, as they built their small homes made of cardboard and plywood. But just as they started to find some stability, their worlds came crashing down when the city forced them to evacuate.

Balitang America witnessed these people, with human lives and hearts, had to dismantle their shelters with heavy hearts, and defeated spirits.

While Box City highlights these immigrants’ resilience as a people, it also exposes the harsh realities of life and the fact that the American Dream is not always within reach.

Box City is produced by the same team behind the Emmy award-Winning documentary, Filipino Champions of SOMA.

The film will premiere at the ABS-CBN International’s headquarters in Daly City, where community leaders and advocates, as well as former residents of Box City, will attend.

Box City is airing on The Filipino Channel on Sunday, July 16, 4:25 pm PST / 10:25 pm PST, and Saturday, July 22, 9:30 am PST.

Watch the teaser trailer here:

(Box City teaser on Vimeo)