Sister Helen

I got a chance to talk with the co-creator, Rebecca Cammisa at the 2002 High Falls Film Festival in Rochester, NY. She said that her style is to be completely open and uninhibited in filmmaking but was very happy to be so severely constrained in the tight quarters of the group home. The narrow hallways and small rooms were expertly shot with a realism that would have been lost with more controlled and deliberate camera work.

Sister Helen herself is a remarkable character, coming from tragedy in her own life to being an unusual combination of caring, tough, and street smart. The way the film introduces us to her past is excellent, spending only a few carefully selected minutes sprinkled throughout.

In all, I can't begin to correctly heap on praise for this film. It really is a treasure of cinema and the subject a treasure of humanity.

Words cannot describe how good this documentary is. Sister Helen is a real life saint who ran a shelter for twenty-one drug addicted men who must obey the nun's military-like facility.

Helen was married and lost her husband and one son to substance abuse and another son was knifed to death in the South Bronx where she opened the shelter.

The challenges are enormous with Sister Helen often berating her residents with language not in keeping with her holy vows.

She admits to her own problems with heavy drinking and has no room for excuses, as she has heard them all. Her wards are handed small plastic cups and told that it is time to p***.

Sister Helen is unlike any nun I have ever met, and I was taught to read and write by Franciscans as a child. Get out your handkerchiefs for this unforgettable film.

This is truly a documentary of love about a fascinating character, her outlook on life and her extended family. The filmmakers spent three years taping Sister Helen at her halfway house and managed to capture so much wonderful material that you can not help but feel you know Sister Helen and her "boys." The house holds 21 recovering addicts each with a story almost as involving as Sister Helen's. The ending scenes are particularly involving and emotional.

Sister Helen's story of marriage, addiction and loss reveals a very complex character who's tough love is at all times funny, touching and endearing.

The film is a amazing in the way it tells its story in wonderful slice of life sequences which develop into a story that is almost as clear as if each scene were scripted and acted by the best. The honesty (and obvious dishonesty) of the "clients" is very involving as you learn of their fears and watch their attempts to grow.

You will never forget Sister Helen, Robert, Moe or poor Ashish(spelling?).

Oh so beautiful, oh so tearful and so gut-wrenching.

Makes everything seem so superficial, so pale, so meaningless in comparison.

Sister Helen is not a real saint.

She is a real human - flawed, raw and blunt, but passionate and with a heart of gold.

What I found most interesting is that this handful of wretched, miserable people found meaning and laughter.

What I loved most is how the documentary portrayed the polarity of human nature.

I went into a screening of "SISTER HELEN" at the Sundance Film Festival and did not know what to expect.

I was riveted by the people in this documentary. Sister Helen is an incredible character!!! The filmmakers captured the essence of Sister Helen's amazing soul and took me into a world unknown. I was thoroughly satisfied by the journey and was completely caught off guard by this film's ending.

This film speaks to those who desire a second chance at life.