From the sidewalk to the big screen.
This is one of the most unique stories, we have ever heard. Below are highlights from the Vulture profile.
New York filmmaker Josh Safdie was hanging around the Diamond District when he met Arielle Holmes. One day he saw Arielle Holmes on the street, looking very distinct. He had to approach her. She told him that she had never acted before, but thought she would be good at it. Safdie made plans to meet Holmes in Chinatown. It turned out that Holmes was homeless and living a very rough life. They established a relationship, but two months later Holmes disappeared. Two weeks later, Safdie received a call from Arielle. She revealed that she was just released from Bellevue after attempting to commit suicide. This was caused by a fight with her boyfriend Ilya. It was then that Safdie decided to pay Arielle to write down her story. Every page that she wrote would later become the script for Heaven Knows What and a soon to be published memoir.
The film is the story of a 19 year old homeless junkie and her boyfriend living on the streets of Chinatown and the Upper West Side. Holmes plays herself in the film and some of her friends also play themselves. This is a story about a girl dealing with so many issues and how she struggles to overcome these intense demons. Arielle Holmes has incredible strength and makes an impressive debut. She is definitely one to watch. The film is now playing.
-Vinesh Vora
