The Cameo House Portrait Project

The Cameo House Portrait Project shines a light against the apocalyptic narrative dominating San Francisco’s most vulnerable populations. Nestled in the heart of the Mission District sits Cameo House, the city’s only long-term transitional housing and alternative sentencing program for eleven houseless, justice-involved women and their children. What began as a moment to capture these families on 35mm and medium format film turned into a years-long production that began in 2022 and continues to this day. This intimate and experimental documentary captures journeys of rehabilitation and reunification, as staff fight to stay afloat after cuts in funding for the third budget cycle. If children are the living milestones of time, this film follows these milestones as it pays homage to the role of 'the village,' where redemption and love are not only possible, but abundant.