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“At present, Kensington stands at a crossroads,” said Martin, whose work in Kensington over the past two years has allowed him to establish relationships with residents, outreach workers, pastors and business owners. “Opiates and synthetic drugs, chronic unemployment and the lack of affordable housing are all contributing to an accelerating and deepening crisis. Unfortunately, a similar version of this same story is occurring in America not only in cities but in suburban and rural areas as well.”

The central characters in American Street’s three vignettes were inspired by real people Martin has gotten to know over the years: a transgender man who needs money to continue his regular hormone treatments after losing his job; a woman facing eviction from her apartment; and an ex-con-turned-pastor who operates a non-denominational church.

“My goal is to create stories and characters that can be universally understood and felt by audiences who come from many different backgrounds and circumstances,” said Martin.

An accomplished filmmaker, Martin works fluidly between narrative and documentary forms. His work has aired on PBS, the Sundance Channel and the BBC, and his films have been screened at the Directors Guild of America, the National Gallery of Art and more than 100 film festivals internationally. American Street will be his 10th feature film.