Susi Graf’s documentary “Lost in the Crowd” had its world premiere screening at this year’s S.F. International LGBT Film Festival. A portrait of a group of homeless LGBT teens trying to survive on the streets of New York City, the film was shot over the course of seven years beginning in 2003 and ending in 2010. These teens of all races and locations came to NYC for a variety of reasons. What they have in common is a lack of resources and the need to find some way to survive. Some do, some don’t. Though the details are New York City-specific, the problems these teens face are replicated on San Francisco’s streets.

Graf talked to Beyond Chron about the making of her film ...

Beyond Chron (BC): What filmmaking experience did you have before starting work on this documentary?

Susi Graf (SG): I came to America from Austria to attend NYU Film School and I did a feature film as a thesis project. I also worked for German TV interviewing Oscar-winning directors and actors.

BC: What prompted your involvement in this documentary?

SG: Safe Space [a homeless LGBT youth program] commissioned me to make a fundraising DVD for them. Living in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a very protected neighborhood, I had no idea what was going on out there in the night. As a mother and a filmmaker, I was so shocked and also fascinated that I had to make a film. Now, seven years later, I still feel the same way.

BC: Your film gave the impression that Safe Space and Neutral Zone were operating on very scant resources. How often do such providers close?

SG: Safe Space has been around for a long time, and from what I know is still operating. They serve a lot of needy kids with all kinds of programs, literacy programs, food, etc. Among those services they have or used to have an outreach mobile vehicle that served street youth.

Neutral Zone from what I heard has closed due to money difficulties. As you can see in the film it helped a lot of youth that have no place to go, especially LGBT youth who fell through the cracks. They tend to get harrassed in other shelters and often violate the strict rules of, let's say the Covenant House, and get thrown out.

The Neutral Zone and Safe Space both are drop-in centers, which mean that youth cannot stay there overnight. The counselors there try to find shelter for the young people, but there are just not enough beds. That's what the film shows, that there are constantly new youth coming 'through the pipeline' and more and more have to find a way to survive.

Jenna Tine, one of the outreach workers, told us that because of the dire economic situation of last year the numbers have increased considerably. Every Saturday, she is confronted with about 15 youth in New York City: new people who have no place to go, no money and are under 18 years old. So by no means has the problem become smaller. Young people flock to New York City because they are free but there is no place to stay, says one counselor in the film.

BC: How did you pick the youths that you profiled in the film?

SG: It was a choice from the heart. I am still very sad about Adrian’s death, for example. But every young person I met had awesome obstacles to overcome just to survive, and I was deeply touched by their fierceness, spirit, and lovable natures.

It was a sad and yet adventurous experience. I learned so much about youth and how fragile, beautiful and loving they are. Kimy is very sensitive, talented, and gracious in accepting the hardships out there. It is hard to imagine what [LGBT homeless] youths go through: the poverty, the humiliations, the violence, the healthrisks. Yet I have seen so much love and beauty.

BC: Kimy was one of your main interview subjects. What fascinated you about him?

SG: I met Kimy about four, five years ago in Sylvia's shelter. It provides overnight shelter and is also a food pantry. The youth have to leave at 8 in the morning and they cannot go there before 10, I believe, in the evening. Kimy says, “It's bad. It's like being a tourist without money.” During the day the kids find something to do: go to the park, have a picnic, go to the Internet cafe, try to find a job, try to get some documents or other things they need to move on with their lives.

In Sylvia's, I was immediately struck by Kimy’s beauty. For the longest time, he identified as a transgender but now he identifies as androgynous. As he makes clear in the last interview, he finds he does not wish to conform to society's ideas about gender. He is Kimy, androgynous and beautiful. At the beginning of the film he says, “I am a freak.” At the end he tells us that he has found himself and knows he is beautiful.

Kimy comes from a wealthy family. His father is a well known lobbyist. I tried to connect, but the family was not interested. I can understand that.

Many families have problematic relations with their LGBT kids, that is what my film is about. The sad result of these bad relations you can see on the streets, late at night, in the shelters, and sometimes on crimesites.

I do hope that my film helps Kimy to get a scholarship so he can become a fashion designer. He can draw, as we can see in the film. When he comes out of jail, he will need help. I hope that my film will help him get a career.

(A revamped “Lost In The Crowd” screens at the Atlantic City Film and Music Festival in September. In November, it’ll screen at NYC’s Cantor Theater.)