Delila Vallot’s, Mighty Ground Changes the way We See Homelessness

Ronal Troy Collins and dancers credit Get Downtown LA

He’s thoughtful, gentle, and has a charming personality. But his ragged, mismatched attire discourages you from engaging. For those who do stop, his soulful serenades are captivating. It’s a heartbreaking reminder of how drug addiction stunts talented artists. Delila Vallot’s Might Ground changes the way we see homelessness and inspires viewers to sow human kindness in our daily encounters.

Synopsis: With the help of unlikely friendships along the way, a homeless songwriter tries to kick a hard-core crack addiction and escape the grisly streets of skid row via his love of music.

At the time of filming, there were about 560 thousand homeless in the United States; worse than the Great Depression. Ronald Troy Collins was one of the many unfortunate people living on the streets.

This film definitely is not tragedy porn. Ronald as a subject is seen and not exploited or invaded. We meet Papa, a generous liquor store owner; Ian and Phoebe, two young journalists; Pastor Bobby; and some big-hearted and talented LA-based artists. The homeless are humanized; we can see them as our neighbors. We are shown how small commitments can make lasting changes in someone’s life.

Born in New Orleans but raised in Los Angeles, Ronald is resourceful and talented. With little effort, he creates an acoustic performance while drumming on an empty mailbox. His songs are original, from the heart, and inspired by Skit Row stories. The film’s lead track “Africa” memorialized the tragic death of Leundeu Keunang, a 43-year-old Cameroonian national known on Skid Row as “Africa”.

Working together, this handful of unlikely friends donate their time, funds, and gifts to keeping Ronald sober and produce his music.

The film reports a few stats. For example, 100 million dollars is spent annually to address homelessness in LA. Sadly, the majority of these funds go towards policing away homelessness which according to the film’s experts doesn’t work. It also features a few organizations that are working towards ending homelessness in the US.

Might Ground Teaser

Ronald draws musical inspiration from gospel, soul, and R&B. In the film, he dreams of what the album and being a sober musician might mean for him. At forty-nine years old, he wishes for simple pleasures like an opportunity to sleep in a bed, to take regular showers, and to be able to give back to his community.

Vallot and her team do a masterful job of reminding us that the homeless people are our brothers and sisters. The producing team includes Aimee Schoof and Isen Robbins (Producers, Intrinsic Value Films), and Natalie Irby (Executive Producer and Editor, Corner to Corner films). Mighty Ground shows how redemption can allow people to transform themselves from rock bottom. Ronald says it truthfully, “you can do anything with love”.
Mighty Ground was one of the 12 films selected for LA Film Festival’s LA Muse line up. The project had its world premiere alongside fiction and documentary films that capture the spirit of Los Angeles.