Suzanne and the Girl She Met on the Streets
Suzanne and the Young Woman She Met on the Streets
Sometimes a stranger stops being a stranger simply because somebody takes the time to ask a question. While in Liverpool, Suzanne meets a young woman sleeping rough and stops to talk to her. It becomes a conversation about homelessness, childhood trauma and the experiences that can shape a person's life.
Content warning: the film includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse. Please take care if you choose to watch.
Sometimes a stranger stops being a stranger simply because somebody takes the time to ask a question. While in Liverpool, Suzanne meets a young woman sleeping rough and stops to talk to her. It becomes a conversation about homelessness, childhood trauma and the experiences that can shape a person's life.
Content warning: the film includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse. Please take care if you choose to watch.
Filmmaker’s note
I was drawn to this encounter because it began so ordinarily. Suzanne noticed a young woman sleeping rough in Liverpool and stopped to talk. There was no formal interview and no relationship already in place, just one person choosing not to walk past another.
As the conversation unfolded, homelessness stopped being the whole story. The young woman spoke about childhood sexual abuse and the experiences that had shaped what came later. What stayed with me was how quickly an encounter between strangers could become something more open and complicated.
The film raised a question I keep returning to: how often do we judge somebody by where they are now without asking what happened before? It is not about removing responsibility or offering a simple explanation. It is about looking beyond a label long enough to see the person, and the relationships and experiences that helped shape her life.
Film details
Title: I stopped to talk to a homeless stranger
Location: Liverpool, England
Year: 2026
Filmmaker: Celia Peterson
Themes: Homelessness, human connection, childhood trauma, judgement, strangers, vulnerability
Running time: 9 minutes
Content note: This film includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse.
Filmmaker’s note
I was drawn to this encounter because it began so ordinarily. Suzanne noticed a young woman sleeping rough in Liverpool and stopped to talk. There was no formal interview and no relationship already in place, just one person choosing not to walk past another.
As the conversation unfolded, homelessness stopped being the whole story. The young woman spoke about childhood sexual abuse and the experiences that had shaped what came later. What stayed with me was how quickly an encounter between strangers could become something more open and complicated.
The film raised a question I keep returning to: how often do we judge somebody by where they are now without asking what happened before? It is not about removing responsibility or offering a simple explanation. It is about looking beyond a label long enough to see the person, and the relationships and experiences that helped shape her life.
Film details
Title: I stopped to talk to a homeless stranger
Location: Liverpool, England
Year: 2026
Filmmaker: Celia Peterson
Themes: Homelessness, human connection, childhood trauma, judgement, strangers, vulnerability
Running time: 9 minutes
Content note: This film includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse.
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