Lost In The Crowd is a film that follows a group of LGBT (mostly Transgender) youth living homeless in the streets of New York City.
Shot over eight years, this ground breaking documentary reveals not only the many trials they must face in their fight to survive in a world that is hostile to their very existence but also the dreams and desires that keep them going.
Most of the kids say the reason that they're homeless in the first place is because they have
been rejected from their families for being gay
or transgender.
Lost in the Crowd reveals a glimpse into a world that few care to see for the life of a homeless person is fraught with constant danger and emotional upheaval, especially for those who
are LGBT.
NYC Shelter Life is portrayed as well as finding "new" families in the ballroom scene featuring ballroom icon Willi Ninja who died shortly after being filmed for Lost in the Crowd.
Lost in the Crowd now available for purchase at newfilmmakersonline.com.
"Susi Graf has put 7 plus years of heart and soul into this project and every drop of it shows on screen. Homelessness is not a new issue amongst LGBT youth, but it has rarely gotten this kind of attention. This film could be the spark our waning national debates need right now. "
Michael Gamilla and Jessica Wilkie
ImageOut Programming Co-Chairs
Winner - Best Film
Vox Feminae Film Festival, Croatia November 2011
Lost In The Crowd is Susi Graf's beautifully lensed, heartbreakingly candid portrait of a handful of queer runaways barely making it on the streets of Manhattan.
Bay Area Reporter 6/20/2010
Susi Graf has put 7 plus years of heart and soul into the project and every drop of it shows on screen. Homelessness is not a new issue amongst LGBT youth, but it has rarely gotten this kind of attention.
Our ImageOut audiences, both young and old, were deeply touched by the varied representation of troubled lives on screen and how many of these desperate situations could have easily been avoided. Susi's passion
to tell the stories of these kids is unequaled. This film could be the spark our waning national debates need
right now.
The profundity of this film's exposure of the LGBT youth homeless community is wrenching.
As I watched these courageous individuals tell their stories, I realized the overall of this documentary
is humanity’s struggle (individually and collectively) to uncover identity and purpose in the world.
Queenz Of Media, Events, News and Gossip. 5/27/2010
For almost seven years filmmaker Susi Graf has been working on the documentary Lost In The Crowd,
an extraordinary film about transgender youth and the celebrated Ballroom Scene in New York City that acts
as a refuge and resource for queer youth. The film also features a never before scene interview with the legendary choreographer Willi Ninja filmed shortly before his death.
Feast of Fun.com 12/5/2010
The title of Susi Graf's essential documentary refers to the throngs of LGBT teens and young adults trying to survive on the streets of New York City, leaving their negative home environments, only to land in an apathetic and dangerous rat race.
Rochester City Newspaper 10/6/2010
Lost In The Crowd is Susi Graf's often-heartbreaking documentary about homeless queer and trans youth living in New York City. It was filmed over a 7-year period starting in 2003. Because her films subject were on the street, in and out of housing facilities and often transient, it took incredible patience for Ms Graf to maintain trust and contact with these young people who've often been abused, rejected and exploited by adults.
Skip The Makeup Culture and Media Blog 6/26/2010
Susi's ability to capture the cultural diversity in this documentary, which at times is overlooked by LGBT films, honored the existence of multicultural people and their voice in the struggle for visibility. The content is a heavy reality that was captured in raw form with the most insightful approach.
Adah Pittman-DeLancey
Founder-IndieQueer Multicultural Cinema
This important film gives LGBT youth a voice. Lost In The Crowd is a much-needed contribution to the public discussion about LGBT culture. This film should be shown in every college.
Michael Stock
Director of 'Postcard to Daddy'
Winner of Teddy, Berlin 2010
Jury award at image+nation Montreal
2010 Award of Excellence for Feature Documentary & Viewer Impact.
The Indie Fest
Kimy hitchhiked from Utah to New York. On the way he landed in jail several times due to sex work and drug related issues.
As a baby he was adopted by a wealthy lobbyist. At 17 he got kicked out because of problems due to his transgender lifestyle and criminal delicts.
We met him at Sylvia’'s Shelter in New York. Kimy dreams of becoming a fashion designer.
Recently Kimy reunited with his biological mother who found him on this
very website!
Back
We met Serenity at the Safe Space Drop in Center where she attended a choreography lesson.
She likes to dance and attend balls and is associated with the House of Ninja.
Serenity is rumored to live in California now but nobody has heard from her for a few years.
Adrian was adopted into a very religious family together with his two biological brothers joining the already nine children of the family.
Adrian’'s gay life style and drug use got him kicked out from home and a restraining order prohibited him from returning.
Jazmine is from Puerto Rico and recently earned a Master’s degree and now works as a social worker and counselor.
She lives a heterosexual life with her straight boyfriend. Jazmine used to be
a star in the voguing ballroom scene.
Alex ran away from home because his parents were not able to accept his gay lifestyle and had drug and alcohol related problems.
While still a minor he worked in the porn industry.
Alex likes to dance and was a member of the House of Ninja.
Alex is still out and about in the West Village, according to contacts on the street.
Clayton ran away from home at age nine to avoid beatings by his father.
He lived in group homes and works as an outreach worker.
Due to an illness he has receieved an apartment from the goverment.
Willi Ninja was an American dancer, choreographer and one of the central characters in the documentary film "“Paris is Burning”".
He was a fixture of ball culture at Harlem's drag balls who took inspiration from sources as far-flung as Fred Astaire and the world of haute couture to develop a unique style of dance and movement.
His style served as an inspiration to Madonna, who immortalized it in her 1990 hit song and music video "Vogue". Willi died shortly after being filmed for Lost in the Crowd.
Giselle Alicea is a model for Patricia Field, actress (starred in Katie Holme's Film 'The Extra Man')
and ballroom superstar.
Susi Graf is a filmmaker, originally from Vienna, Austria.
Attended New York University, Tisch School of the Arts and studied Theater and Journalism at the University of Vienna, Austria. Received two Fulbright Scholarships and numerous grants for her artistic projects and
academic work.
She has also worked as a television producer interviewing numerous film directors such as Quentin Tarantino, John Waters, Terry Gilliam and many more as well as actors like Demi Moore, Michael Douglas, Bruce Willis,
and Mel Gibson.
Susi currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.
Lost in the Crowd Screening Info, Press, Speaking Engagements and all General Inquiries please email us or contact: Kathy Rey Samels 917.748.761
