Richmond Film 'The Far Way' Explores Homelessness and Imagination

Filmmaker Bill Badgley's first narrative feature blends reality and fantasy in a story about two unhoused men on a surreal journey across Virginia.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 8:54pm

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A new Richmond-based film, 'The Far Way', from documentary filmmaker Bill Badgley, explores hope, homelessness, and imagination through a surreal journey across Virginia. The film follows two unhoused men, Jonathan and Wönderboots, as they set off to deliver a mysterious suitcase, uncovering their own personal baggage along the way. Badgley, who recently produced the Netflix docuseries 'Conversations With A Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes', is making his first foray into narrative filmmaking with this project.

Why it matters

The Far Way aims to authentically depict the experiences of those facing homelessness, an issue that has long impacted the Richmond community. By blending realism and fantasy, the film hopes to shed light on the humanity and dignity of unhoused individuals, while also exploring themes of hope, belief, and the power of imagination to transcend difficult circumstances.

The details

The two main characters, Jonathan and Wönderboots, are based on real people Badgley has encountered. Jonathan is inspired by a man Badgley lived with who was reunited with his estranged father, while Wönderboots is a combination of an unhoused man Badgley saw in Los Angeles and aspects of Badgley's own creative process. The mysterious suitcase they set out to return becomes a symbolic representation of the baggage we all carry. Badgley originally set the film in Los Angeles, but decided Richmond's historic backdrop would better ground the story's themes about America.

  • Badgley founded his production company Molasses Manifesto in the past.
  • Badgley recently produced the Netflix docuseries 'Conversations With A Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes'.
  • The Far Way fundraiser and table read event will take place on April 11, 2026.

The players

Bill Badgley

A documentary filmmaker who is making his first narrative feature film with 'The Far Way'. He has previously directed several music documentaries and the Netflix docuseries 'Conversations With A Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes'.

John Reaves

The producer of 'The Far Way' who is spearheading the film's fundraising efforts. Reaves is from Richmond and is passionate about authentically depicting the city's housing crisis through the film.

Maureen Neal

A fundraiser who has been involved with organizations addressing homelessness in Richmond, such as Daily Planet Health Services, and is helping to organize the fundraiser for 'The Far Way'.

Kate Koyiades

A Richmond-based artist who has created the handmade props and costumes for 'The Far Way', including the magical butterfly-adorned boots.

Devin Flynn

An LA-based artist who created the vibrant, textured prop for the animated butterflies that are a central element of the film.

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What they’re saying

“At its core, this is a film about hope, having or not having it, believing in something so much that it makes you feel crazy. I really wanted to write something about that, about choosing how to live. Are you gonna choose to live in a way where you believe in beauty so much that it becomes real? Or are you gonna allow the pressures and realities and the bullshit to get in the way.”

— Bill Badgley, Filmmaker

“I grew up in Richmond, and homelessness, the housing crisis, has always been an issue that my family has been aware of. My mom is a social worker and she used to run food pantries in places where they don't have a grocery store anywhere nearby, food deserts. I've always been very aware of what's going on in Richmond. So what made me want to get involved with this story was the fact that we would be set in that world. I could see the movie being made in Richmond. And then the thing that was most important to me is to make it as authentic or true to the dignity of people as possible.”

— John Reaves, Producer

What’s next

The film's producers are hosting a free table read event on April 11th at 4 PM at the Grace Street Theater in Richmond, where they will reveal the actors playing the two main characters. This will be followed by a launch party and fundraiser from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Daily Planet Health Services, where attendees can see some of the handmade props and costumes for the film. The fundraiser aims to raise an additional $40,000 to help bring 'The Far Way' to the screen.

The takeaway

By blending realism and fantasy, 'The Far Way' aims to shine a light on the experiences of Richmond's unhoused population, highlighting their humanity and dignity while exploring universal themes of hope, belief, and the power of imagination. The film's local roots and community-driven production process reflect a commitment to authentically depicting this important issue impacting the city.