Second Heart Homes’s documentary “The Healing Mirror” to premiere at Sarasota Film Festival
March 26, 2026
March 25, 2026 | Sarasota
Sarasota is known for its wealth, world-class arts and cultural institutions. But beyond the galleries and stages, many men and women have experienced homelessness—often unseen and unheard.
A new documentary from Second Heart Homes brings these two worlds together.
“The Healing Mirror” follows residents of Second Heart Homes as they participate in immersive poetry workshops led by Sarasota-based poet Cedric Hameed. Filmed at Sarasota Art Museum, the documentary will premiere at the Sarasota Film Festival on Friday, April 17 at 2 p.m. at the Ringling College Morganroth auditorium (Visit SarasotaFilmFestival.com for tickets).
Over the course of four weeks, participants explored self-image, self-esteem, fear and triumph through original poetry. As they share their stories, the film offers an unfiltered look at lives shaped by trauma, mental illness and homelessness—and the possibility of transformation through creative expression.
“When people are experiencing the trauma of homelessness and untreated mental illness, there is deep hurt,” said Megan Howell, executive director and founder of Second Heart Homes.
“One of the things that makes our permanent housing model so unique is our openness to explore different modalities of healing. At first, I thought it sounded a little silly, but we quickly saw there was something powerful in writing poetry. We watched our residents begin to transform and truly blossom. Sometimes, it’s a good thing to be wrong.”
“Life can often make us great poets and we don’t even know it,” added Bubba Henson, published poet, co-producer of the film and longtime volunteer with Second Heart Homes. “The depth of insight and expression in these workshops is transformative, and the film captures that in a powerful way.”
Following the screening, attendees are invited to a panel discussion with participants and Cedric Hameed.
The Healing Mirror was directed by Bubba Henson, Colin Reid and Megan Howell and produced by Second Heart Homes, the Sarasota nonprofit providing permanent housing, support, and love to men and women who once lived on the streets and are living with mental illness. The film was made possible through generous support from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Charles and
Margery Barancik Foundation, with co-production support from The Sammy Fund, honoring Sammy’s memory and the spirit behind this work.
For more information about Second Heart Homes and its supportive housing, visit SecondHeartHomes.org.