Carbon Trace: Songs from the Street

Local Film Features Street Choir

Carbon Trace Productions is proud to announce the release of “Songs From the Street,” a documentary film produced by media students from Missouri State University and the professional staff of Carbon Trace Productions.

In the fall of 2019, a group of homeless people gathered for the first time to form the Springfield Street Choir. Student filmmakers began following this unique group as it rehearsed, performed, and continue to live life on the streets. According to Christie Love, lead pastor at The Connecting Grounds interdenominational church where the group rehearses, the street choir’s core purpose is to show audiences that homeless people are regular people, who deserve kindness.

“The Choir aims to help homeless people on an individual level by giving them something enjoyable to do while promoting a message to the public to incite local change.”

The film’s Director, Mackenzie Huffman, says the project came from a desire to humanize the people that are typically ignored.

"The intent of this documentary is to give homeless people a voice and to show the public that the homeless are people too and deserve their respect and attention."

As momentum for the choir was building, the COVID-19 pandemic approached Springfield, putting an already at-risk group in danger of greater harm. Neighboring residents and businesses also began to voice complaints about the increasing numbers of homeless people gathering at the church. With no end in sight to the pandemic and no opportunities for rehearsals or performances in the immediate future, “Songs From the Street” is a window into the world of shattered hopes and dreams of a segment of the population that many choose to look past.

Director: Mackenzie Huffman
Genre: Documentary