Alexandra Pelosi may have a last name renowned in Democratic political circles, but the films that the New York-based documentarian has made for HBO often as not explore subjects or communities on the conservative side of the political spectrum. The filmmaker, the daughter of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, covered the George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign in “Journeys with George”; evangelicals (including the soon-to-be-disgraced Ted Haggard) in “Friends of God”; and the disillusionment of Republican voters on the John McCain/Sarah Palin campaign trail in “Right America: Feeling Wronged.”
Pelosi’s new film, “Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County,” which premieres Monday night on HBO, is less overtly political – but its setting is the heart of “the O.C.,” the well-to-do and famously conservative county south of Los Angeles. There, the cheap motels surrounding Disneyland have become home to the children of the working poor; the parents have jobs (including some at Disneyland itself), but don’t earn enough to afford the area’s sky-high rents.
Your mother is one of the most famous liberals in the country, but often as not you seem drawn to conservative subjects, or conservative communities.
Well, I can genuinely say, I’m not sure I really cared about the people I made movies about before. That’s a terrible thing to say, but not in the way like I care about these kids. I’ve made six movies, and this is the first time I’ve cared like this.
I mean, you can forget about George Bush or Jerry Falwell. You can’t forget about a homeless kid.
So do you think this film will have a stronger impact than your previous films?
No, no. I don’t have any illusions that people will want to see this. I don’t know if people are going to watch this movie. It’s hard, watching homeless kids. People don’t want to do that. People are bummed. They get home from a long day at work, the last thing they want to hear about is homeless kids.
Is the subject matter here more of a problem than it was on your previous films?
Oh, yeah. I mean, you make a movie with Sarah Palin in it, you get great ratings. That’s easy. I know how to get ratings: get Sarah Palin. She was in my last movie, it did great. Or get Ted Haggard, with a drugs, sex and prostitutes scandal. Great ratings.
That stuff, people want to watch. Sex, drugs and prostitutes? Great. This one … I’m not so sure.
What drew you to this subject?
On the block where I live in Manhattan, there’s a soup kitchen. And I was walking down the street with my son, he said to me, “Mommy, why is that person sleeping on the street?” “Because he doesn’t have a home.” “Why doesn’t he have a home?” And I couldn’t come up with an answer.
