The Cost of Poverty
A | 2024 | TV Documentary | 45 min
Co-produced with ORF | 3sat

The filmmakers Stefan Wolner and Sandra Rak highlight the stories of people who are intimately familiar with life’s challenges. Poverty has many faces – it is not always immediately visible and often only reveals itself upon closer examination. In times of multiple crises and inflation, poverty continues to spread, penetrating deeply into the middle class. Take Helene, for example, who was self-employed her entire life and lived a stable, organized life. However, after her divorce, she was confronted with harsh realities and faced various institutional hurdles that plunged her into severe financial difficulties.

Today, her life is defined by sacrifice. There’s little room for leisure activities, vacations, or spontaneous expenses for her son. Even after moving to a smaller apartment, the single mother, who relies on social welfare, struggles with a mountain of debt.
Sandra’s journey followed a different path. She spent long stretches of time homeless, living for years on the streets, where, as she shares, life can be especially harsh for women.

Now, she has managed to escape homelessness and lives in a small social housing apartment. She understands the importance of raising awareness about the plight of women on the streets and is well-acquainted with the dangers they face there.

For those who, like Sandra, have not yet been able to escape homelessness, the Canisibus provides vital support. Every evening, including weekends and holidays, it drives through Vienna, offering hot soup and bread to those in need. For many of the up to 400 guests served daily, it is their only hot meal of the day.

The numerous volunteers work with great dedication and compassion. Beyond serving meals, they often lend an ear and offer emotional support.

The documentary by Stefan Wolner and Sandra Rak provides insight into stories that are both heartrending and inspiring – stories that move and give hope. It paints a portrait of society, illustrating how closely intertwined poverty and resilience can be and how crucial human kindness truly is.