A short version of A Bridge to Life screens tomorrow in Richmond at the Inthrive Film Festival!

A 30-minute version of A Bridge to Life will play at Richmond's First Baptist Church tomorrow, October 19, at 11:40 AM, as part of the Inthrive Film Festival.

The Inthrive Film Festival celebrates incarceration survivors through film, art, speakers, and community partnerships. A Bridge to Life is part of the festival's 2024-2025 season and will be touring across America over the next year.

You can find more information on the festival, including the full schedule, here. 

Thank you to those who joined us at the Richmond International Film Festival.

Thank you to everyone who came to see A Bridge to Life at this year's Richmond International Film Festival. It was a wonderful event, and we truly enjoyed connecting with our community.

I am proud to announce that the film received the 2024 Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature.

In addition, William Washington and I were honored with this year’s Legacy Award for excellence in film and community leadership. I’m incredibly humbled and grateful for this recognition, and I continue to be inspired by William Washington and his team’s wonderful work.

A special thank you to ABC 8 News and Allison Williams for sharing news of the award win. You can check out that story below. 

Exciting news...A Bridge to Life is on its way to PBS

I'm thrilled to share that A Bridge to Life is on its way to being broadcast on PBS! This is an incredible opportunity to share an alternative to incarceration, grounded in love, wisdom, and respect, with a wider audience. We've been fortunate to have some of my past films, World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements and Seats at the Table, air on PBS, and I couldn't be more excited to continue that journey with this film.

However, to prepare A Bridge to Life for broadcasting, we need to raise $60,000. We're seeking underwriters who may be interested in ad or logo placements and those who want to support our mission through donations. Your contribution can help us share these stories with the world, and I’m deeply grateful for any support. 

If you have any questions about this, you can email me at chris.farina@rosaliafilms.com.

Thank you for being part of this journey!

My new film, Death Becomes Us: Hands With Us

Almost 12 years ago, I began filming a feature-length documentary called Death Becomes You (now Death Becomes Us: Hands With Us), about people's attitudes, beliefs, and perspectives on death. The work was interrupted by other projects, but I am now looking to film the final scenes this fall and finish the project by Spring 2025.

The film will follow the after-death path the body takes before being placed in its final resting place and explore the intimate moments of caring for a recently departed human being, focusing on individuals who "touch the body." 

The film aims to spark reflection and encourage open conversations around death—topics many are hesitant to face. My hope is that Death Becomes Us: Hands With Us will inspire viewers to confront their own views on mortality in a deeper, more thoughtful way

I am seeking donations to complete this project. The Gotham has agreed to be the film's fiscal sponsor, so all donations are tax-deductible. Your support will help us generate an open and honest discussion of death and how we perceive it.

Support A Bridge to Life to help our social justice impact efforts

My filmmaking has always aimed to spotlight unsung heroes. When I met William Washington, I knew his story had to be shared to inspire others.

Since completing A Bridge to Life, our mission has been twofold: shine a light on the transformative work of the Bridge Ministry – which has a remarkable recidivism rate under 5% compared to the national 80% – and inspire communities nationwide to create similar life-changing programs. 

As our country grapples with a critical drug addiction crisis, we believe in championing a more compassionate solution to incarceration and addiction rehabilitation. Our goal is to bring the film to communities and legislators across the U.S. to show how building more bridges leads to fewer jails. 

Driving our social impact depends on the generosity of donors who share our vision. To sustain our social impact efforts through 2025, I need to raise at least $60,000.

If you are interested in donating to A Bridge to Life the Film Collaborative, a 501(c)3 organization, has agreed to be the project's fiscal sponsor, so all contributions to help make this project will be verified as tax-deductible charitable donations.

Please consider supporting this project.
You can find information on this project on our Rosalia Films website through this link: https://rosaliafilms.com/films/the-bridge-ministry/

And please consider sharing this with others as a successful independent film is often ensured by the help of supporters with “spreading the word.” You can reach out to me if you have any suggestions, questions or would like to discuss any of my projects further. My email is chris.farina@rosaliafilms.com and my phone number is (434) 825-0972.

Thanks,

Chris Farina
Rosalia Films