Meet Lloyd. He gets by day-by-day in Montreal. As one man among the increasing population of unhoused people in Canada’s urban centres, his story offers a poignant snapshot of the lives that many people may not consider when walking through a city’s busy streets. A Man Imagine, released today for free streaming from the National Film Board of Canada, offers a compelling slice of cinéma vérité.
This languid character study by Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky observes Lloyd’s daily wanderings with nary a word. Over two-and-a-half years, the film follows Lloyd throughout the streets as he wanders around, collects discarded treasures, and relishes the heat blasted through an open duct. This is a frank and raw portrait of life on the streets. The directors favour the cadence of slow cinema, allowing Lloyd’s movements to guide their approach. This immersive consideration invites larger questions about mental health and urban life as it gives space for audiences to consider the absence of supports and shelters for Lloyd and others in his situation.
“A Man Imagined is laudable precisely because the film doesn’t attempt to explain away the mystery,” said Matthew Hays while reviewing the film. “Like many people living on the street, or moving from shelter to shelter, Lloyd’s existence is about a combination of societal failure, personal anguish and mental health. The film’s ambiguity is a key part of its beauty and strength.”
Watch A Man Imagined today from the NFB:
A Man Imagined, Brian M. Cassidy & Melanie Shatzky, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
