Each night in Silicon Valley, the Line 22 transforms from a public city bus into an unofficial shelter for the homeless in one of the richest parts of the world.
Hotel 22, the bus of forgotten dreams
The night is young and cold for passengers on the bus route 22 in Silicon Valley, California. For years, homeless men and women have made the interior of the vehicle their overnight hotel. The passengers adapt their bodies and luggage to the rigid seats and the constant metallic snoring of the bus is already a familiar soundtrack that does not disturb their sleep.
To film this microcosm in motion, young American director Elizabeth Lo chooses an observational approach with static shots that show the swings and turns of this long metal snake as it makes its journey through the streets of California with its belly full of guests.
The sound of the vehicle is a character in itself; we hear its gears and frictions very close thus providing a first-hand sensory experience. One of the guests complains that the heating is not set and, in a climatic scene, the tensions of race in this multiethnic city explode in the heart of the night.