Evicted! Film generates conversation about regional rental crisis

Evicted! is a film about a group of millennial housemates that are evicted from their home, and their challenges finding an affordable rental property in Sydney. Against the backdrop of their looming eviction, the four central characters must navigate the instability of life on the edge of unemployment, complex personal relationships, and the clash between idealism, and "late stage capitalism".

The film reflects a growing sentiment among younger Australians the economy - and in particular the housing market - is rigged against them.

Director Rowan Devereux and producer Sophie Saville have been touring the film through regional NSW discussing its themes and messages with local audiences. They have discovered their urban tale of eviction is resonating with regional audiences more than they expected.

Curious Rabbit proprietor Vickie Burkinshaw framed the post-film discussion by drawing attention to the parallels between what the film's characters experienced, and the struggles facing many local renters.

"Part of the lived experience of people in Wagga at the moment and all across regional NSW is trying to find a house," she said.

"We laugh when we think about people paying $1100 for these places that don't even have a toilet, or the toilet's in the kitchen. It's funny, but it's not actually funny, because it's real - this is the world we're living in.

"It's competitive - you have to move out if the landlord's going to paint the house, which gives them the opportunity to evict you."

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Audience member Virginia Gawler said while the film was billed as a comedy, it had an undeniably political message.

"It's not just Sydney - it's everywhere in Australia. This is a national crisis," she said.

"Housing, shelter is a fundamental human right for god sake - it has to be a political issue, and I don't think you [the film makers] need to justify that.

"There are women living in their cars with their kids ... that's disgusting in a rich country like Australia"

Mr Devereux said looking for funding and distribution for Evicted! had shown him the rental crisis was a blind spot among cultural gatekeepers.

"when we were trying to get funding for this film, everyone was like 'who cares about a film about a bunch of millennials renting?'"

"But the people who we're talking to are 20 years older than me, they're on 6 figure salaries, they've got houses, and I understand where they're coming from - it's not an issue for them."

Mr Devereux said he was getting similar feedback from many of the regional communities they'd held screenings in - the rental crisis is not limited to Sydney, or young people

"This is a film touring around regional NSW, and the advice given to us by very smart people was that nobody in regional NSW would care," he said.

"But everywhere we go, people say 'we have a renting crisis here'".

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