Join us for a screening of Home is a Hotel, with Q&A following with director Kevin Wong; co-director Kar Yin Tham; Jacquelynn Evans, one of the subjects of the film; and Martha Ryan and Shellena Eskridge, founder and executive director of Homeless Prenatal Program.

From within the walls of their 80 square feet Single Room Occupancy hotel rooms, a diverse group of San Franciscans strive against systemic forces and a housing crisis with hope and humor in their search for a place to call home. 

Across America, cities are struggling with homelessness and housing affordability. How does one decades-old solution – cramped SRO units – impact the lives of those who live in them? Home Is a Hotel takes you inside San Francisco’s SRO housing through intimate portraits of their residents filmed over five years. This character-driven, verité documentary immerses viewers in what it means to call a single room home in the heart of one of America’s richest cities. It’s the story of an immigrant single mom in Chinatown, a blind Latina librettist fighting harassment and eviction, a divorced couple in recovery co-parenting a six-year-old son, a graffiti artist who paints murals for the tech companies gentrifying his neighborhood, and a determined mother on a quest to find her runaway daughter – all of them trying to better their lives within the four walls of rentals as tiny as 80 square feet. 

The film won the audience award for Best Feature Documentary and the juried award for Best Bay Area Documentary at the 2023 SFFILM Festival.

Please note there is an admission fee for visitors on Sundays from 1 to 5 pm. Those wishing to attend the screening must register in advance to avoid paying the fee. Thank you for your understanding.

Event Details

The cathedral will open for seating at 1 pm. The entrance to the cathedral is at the top of the Great Steps. The accessible entrance is via the glass doors on Taylor Street or from the cathedral garage. Masks are encouraged but not required inside the cathedral.

About the Guests

Jacquelynn Evans is one of the film participants, and is an advocate for residents at-risk of losing their housing.

Shellena Eskridge is the Executive Director of the Homeless Prenatal Program.

Martha Ryan is the Founder of the Homeless Prenatal Program

Kar Yin Tham is the Co-Director and Producer of HOME IS A HOTEL.

Kevin Wong is the Director, Producer, and Co-Cinematographer of HOME IS A HOTEL.

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