Out of the Woods: Life and Death in Dirty Dave's Homeless Camp

Out of the Woods: Life and Death in Dirty Dave's Homeless Camp is a 2012 feature documentary film by Michael E. Arth. It follows the life and death struggles of homeless people living in a camp in the woods for four years. Arth single-handely directed, shot and edited Out of the Woods after meeting one of the subjects, Dean "Dino the Dinosaur" Bieber, in a former drug slum Arth had rebuilt and turned into "The Garden District" in DeLand some years before. The backstory of Out of the Woods is told in Arth's previous documentary, New Urban Cowboy: Toward a New Pedestrianism.

Arth who has a background in building design, urban planning and policy analysis, made the film to bring attention to his plan to build a holistic, community of services in Volusia County, FL for adults who fall through the cracks of society and need mental health care, substance abuse rehabilitation, or emergency housing. Since 2007, Arth had been trying to get Volusia County to donate 80 acres of land, already zoned for group homes. The site for Tiger Bay Village, as it is called, is on an existing bus stop next to an existing detox and rehabilitation center, Stewart Marchman/ACT/Pinegrove. Tiger Bay Village would be run as a non-profit and it would serve as a more efficient and compassionate alternative for those who would otherwise be incarcerated for substance abuse or mental health related issues.

Arth's prodding led to a grudging but growing acceptance by local officials and agencies the necessity of building a holistic, campus of services at the location he suggested.

The film premiered at Cinematique in Daytona Beach, FL on February 8, 2013 and was featured at the Ft. Myers Beach Film Festival in April 2013. It was subsequently made available on YouTube where it garnered about 90% likes.

Two prominent subjects in the film are David "Dirty Dave" Grimsley and his girlfriend, Allyson "Hottie" Manwarren, a former beauty queen and nurse who started drinking and lost her job after her divorce. About a year into the film shoot that took place over four years, Allyson was heading back to another camp returning from a beer run when she was accidentally hit and killed by a car. The film is punctuated with dark humor, including an interview with Allyson's homeless brother, "Vodka Scott" Curry, who says his sister's "skipping disease" caused her to skip in front of the car. He then goes on to say that the only thing he was good at skipping was school and that he would smile but meth had spoiled his teeth.

(Cast in Order of Appearance)

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