For more than seven years, writer, director and producer James Hill has poured his heart, soul and checkbook into his soon to be released film “The Streetsweeper.” Hill started the independent film after a frustrating 10 years of trying to convince Hollywood to produce his screenplay based on “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand.

“The film industry is run by the financial side,” says Hill, who lives in Del Mar and owns Hillcrest Entertainment. “The movement of money is a primary focus in Hollywood, but every once in a while a glimpse of creativity gets through.”

“The Streetsweeper” is the story of Enzo Morelli (played by Paul Michael), a devoted father and former opera singer, who gives up a career on stage to support his family as a San Diego streetsweeper. To fulfill his wife’s dying wish that their only son, Joey (played by Michael Cavalieri), graduate from Harvard, Enzo sells his house and car, cashes in his pensions and invests almost all his income to pay for Joey’s education.

As Enzo cleans the streets of San Diego, dreaming of Joey’s near graduation and remembering his wife, he is welcomed by the community. Enzo is known for his generosity to the homeless and for singing along to the opera music blaring from the loud speakers atop his streetsweeper.

As the story unfolds Enzo and his son, Joey fall into a series of tragic events that play out like a modern-day opera tale.

“I still tear up at the movie, says Hill. “It transcends me now. I forget I made it when I watch it.”

Shot in San Diego with the help of the San Diego Film Commission and the city’s streetsweeper division, the film takes the viewer through the sights and sounds of Downtown.

The movie has received support from the Italian, opera and streetsweeper community. The film was first screened in Milan, Italy, at the invitation of the Italian Film Commission, and shortly after was chosen by the San Diego Opera for a screening to patrons. After several other positive test screenings the last few years, Hill is working to release the film locally this fall, followed by New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

“When people go into the theater and the lights go down, you own their minds,” says Hill. “I wanted to make a movie that touched people’s hearts.”

After many phone calls to friends, financial backers and plenty of his own money, Hill raised the funds needed for the production of the film and is now raising more for the distribution. Visit www.thestreetsweeper.com for information.

— Maya Ellman