Documentary
THE DEPARTMENT is a feature documentary which takes us inside the never-before-seen child protection system at work in NSW. Filmed in an observational style, it follows caseworkers across the state as they navigate the complexities of keeping children safe in families experiencing domestic violence, addiction, poverty, mental health issues and intergenerational trauma.
MOVIE COMMENTS
SIMILAR MOVIES
Stars
Working But Poor - The Middle Class in Crisis
Nine Lives
El-Sisi: Egypt's New Pharaoh
Picture Proof
The Oasis
This is an Address
Streets of Plenty
Haiti: Where Did the Money Go
Lost Angels: Skid Row Is My Home
30 Seconds Away: Breaking the Cycle
The Charcoal People
Come Back, Sebastiana
Thug Life in D.C.
Black Pete – No, You're It
Down and Out in America
San Francisco 2.0
Someone Lives Here
Class Divide
Imba Means Sing
SIMILAR MOVIES
Stars
IMDB 0 | Dec , 2007
Shot almost in its entirety in the corridors of the Villa 21, one of Buenas Aires' most well-known shanty-towns, Estrellas (Stars) revolves around the work of Julio Arrieta, who is both a theatre director and is responsible for providing shooting locations for those directores wishing to film in an Argentine ghetto.Working But Poor - The Middle Class in Crisis
IMDB 7 | Jan , 2023
Citizens across Europe who used to belong to the lower middle class have fallen into poverty. An in-depth investigation into the precariat, a new social class of financially insecure citizens who, although they are employed, find it very difficult to make ends meet.Nine Lives
IMDB 5.2 | Aug , 2011
Several street children in Berlin talk about their daily life, referring not only to drug addiction and physical/traumatic injuries, but also to their talents and dreams.El-Sisi: Egypt's New Pharaoh
IMDB 0 | Dec , 2025
Egypt, nicknamed "the mother of the world" by its people, is unrecognizable. Gigantic construction sites have sprung up in the desert at an exponential rate, including roads, bridges, and megaprojects on the Mediterranean coast. This new Egypt is an illusion: in 10 years, the population has sunk into unprecedented poverty. The regime shows no mercy to the poor. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the new pharaoh, and his army have set up a pyramid-shaped financial system, built on subsidies from major international institutions—including the European Union—and foreign investment. The most populous nation in the Arab world finds itself on the brink of collapse.Picture Proof
IMDB 0 | Mar , 2023
Examines the intergenerational impact of addiction by chronicling the love, labor, loss, and uncertainty of one woman’s struggle to live a life of sobriety. Weaving together moments of glee, fulfillment, acceptance, sorrow, and disappointment, this documentary takes an intimate look at the bonds that hold one family together and a disease that threatens to tear them apart.The Oasis
IMDB 0 | Apr , 2008
Tough kids from tough backgrounds living dangerous lives - these are the young people of the Oasis, a grimy brick youth refuge in inner-city Sydney. No story is too horrific, no circumstance too dire, no kid too damaged for its tireless director, Captain Paul Moulds. Father figure, counselor, saviour and an orphan himself, Paul is nothing short of a legend amongst those who stumble in at breaking point with nowhere left to go. This raw observational documentary filmed over two years captures Paul's daily battle to save these lost children of the so-called "Lucky Country".This is an Address
IMDB 0 | Oct , 2020
Stonewall veterans (including prominent trans activist Sylvia Rivera) and HIV-positive New Yorkers take up residency on the Hudson River piers as cranes raze vacant buildings for a new skyline.Streets of Plenty
IMDB 3.5 | Feb , 2010
With the 2010 Olympics approaching, will the world get to know Vancouver's darkest secret? 'Streets of Plenty' chronicles one man's perilous journey to live in Vancouver's downtown east side ghetto. The rules of this twisted social experiment? Starting with only a pair of underwear, he must survive the harsh winter streets for 31 days. He has no money, no friends, no family, and most importantly, no home. He must navigate the institutions, policies and services alongside the thousands of people that call Vancouver's streets home.Haiti: Where Did the Money Go
IMDB 0 | Jan , 2012
Shot in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the documentary looks at what really happens with the money donated to help with disaster aid.Lost Angels: Skid Row Is My Home
IMDB 6.4 | Dec , 2012
Los Angeles' Skid Row is home to one of the largest homeless populations in the United States. And we found, inside that community, the remarkable and enormously moving stories of Olympic athletes, Harvard attorneys, accomplished musicians, scholars. We found poverty, drugs and mental illness, of course - but more importantly we found life, hope and incredibly powerful human journeys.30 Seconds Away: Breaking the Cycle
IMDB 5 | Sep , 2015
A former federal agent takes you from Milwaukee's streets into its justice system, following Harold Sloan and six other homeless men over five years as they struggle to survive.The Charcoal People
IMDB 7.7 | Jan , 2000
This deeply human documentary examines the subject of environmental destruction, highlighting the impoverished migrant workers who are chopping down the Amazon rainforest to create charcoal for pig iron production used primarily in the automobile industry. The film examines the children and elders and their daily lives and work as they burn timber in igloo-looking huts, their bodies charred gray for $2 a day, struggling to survive.Come Back, Sebastiana
IMDB 5 | Jan , 1953
The story of a poor girl who leaves her starving family and sheep for a more prosperous village. Her grandfather finds her and tries to convince her to return to her home.Thug Life in D.C.
IMDB 0 | Oct , 1998
Aundrey Burno, a black youth looking down the wrong end of a murder charge -- for which a conviction could result in a lifetime in prison -- appears to be the epitome of an unrepentant thug. Speaking to viewers, he claims to have done whatever was necessary to survive on the mean streets, to earn the respect of his criminal peers. But as his case progresses and his younger brother, Kevin, faces the same choices he did -- to become a thug or not -- a very different Aundrey reveals himself.Black Pete – No, You're It
IMDB 0 | Oct , 1980
A drama-documentary film about the fatal effect of poor living conditions on health – the so-called "social inheritance." The principal characters in the film are two fourteen or fifteen-year-old children, Carl and Hanne. Covering a hundred-year period and drawing on case stories recorded by actual hospital staff, the film illustrates a number of variations of "the same old story."Down and Out in America
IMDB 6.6 | Dec , 1986
The recession of the 1980s split the country into the haves and have-nots, from family farmers to factory workers and homeless people forced to live in decrepit welfare hotels. On the verge of losing everything, courageous Americans discover the power of community organizing to fight injustice.San Francisco 2.0
IMDB 6.6 | Sep , 2015
San Francisco has long enjoyed a reputation as the counterculture capital of America, attracting bohemians, mavericks, progressives and activists. With the onset of the digital gold rush, young members of the tech elite are flocking to the West Coast to make their fortunes, and this new wealth is forcing San Francisco to reinvent itself. But as tech innovations lead America into the golden age of digital supremacy, is it changing the heart and soul of their adopted city?Someone Lives Here
IMDB 7.6 | Apr , 2023
Chronicles the modern-day David and Goliath tale amidst North America's housing crisis. During the pandemic, Khaleel Seivwright, a young Toronto carpenter, builds life-saving shelters for unhoused people facing the winter outside. His actions attracted international acclaim but also staunch opposition from the city government, portraying a compelling narrative set against the backdrop of societal challenges and governmental resistance.Class Divide
IMDB 5.9 | Apr , 2016
A look at NYC’s gentrification and growing inequality in a microcosm, Class Divide explores two distinct worlds that share the same Chelsea intersection – 10th Avenue and 26th Street. On one side of the avenue, the Chelsea-Elliot Houses have provided low-income public housing to residents for decades. Their neighbor across the avenue since 2012 is Avenues: The World School, a costly private school. What happens when kids from both of these worlds attempt to cross the divide?Imba Means Sing
IMDB 8 | Dec , 2015
A character-driven heartfelt story of resilience and the impact of education. The film follows Angel, Moses and Nina from the slums of Kampala, Uganda through a world tour with the Grammy-nominated African Children's Choir; stunningly shot and told through Angel, Moses and Nina's perspectives on their one shot journey from poverty to education.