r/Documentaries • u/stammerton • 13h ago
Offbeat Carts of Darkness (2008) - Homeless bottle collectors in Vancouver turn shopping trolley racing into an extreme sport [00:59:30]
In North Vancouver, a group of homeless men earn their living collecting discarded bottles and cans for recycling. But when the working day is over, their shopping trolleys become unlikely racing machines, hurtling down steep roads at dangerous speeds.
Directed by former snowboard filmmaker Murray Siple, Carts of Darkness (2008) follows this unusual underground sporting culture, combining the visual style of extreme sports filmmaking with an intimate examination of homelessness, poverty, friendship and survival.
Through the experiences of men including Big Al and Fergie, the documentary looks beyond conventional portrayals of homelessness to explore the independence, humour and sense of community found among its participants.
Director: Murray Siple
Country: Canada
Runtime: 59 minutes