RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond International Film Festival awarded the Legacy Award Sunday night. This year’s recipient is Chris Farina, a filmmaker from Baltimore whose work surrounds stories right here in Virginia.
His film, “A Bridge To Life”, is about the Bridge Ministry in Buckingham — an alternative to incarceration that aims to help men facing life-threatening addiction.
In the middle of making this film, Farina was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), but he didn’t let that stop him from finishing it, and he was honored for that on Sunday, Sept. 29.
“No, I’m surprised, shocked by it,” Farina said.
His screening for “A Bridge To Life” was held at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
“I really like to honor people who don’t get the attention they deserve,” Farina said. “Because there’s so many great people in their communities and they should be recognized by others.”
Starting in 2022, Farina began working with the founder of Bridge Ministry William Washington. Farina followed Washington, who has his own history with drugs, but was spared from a years-long prison sentence. Washington has since dedicated his life to helping those like him.
“The whole country and beyond should know about his work, and how great it is to change people’s lives,” Farina said.
Farina wrapped filming in late 2022, but it wasn’t long after when he was diagnosed with ALS.
“It was a shock when it came up,” he recalled.
But he was able to finish editing in 2023 and put the film out this year. He said he spent a lot of time with the men in the program, getting to know their stories, and that the film was received well by them.
“I think they were pretty uplifted by it because they’ve experienced the greatness of the Bridge Ministry,” Farina said.
Farina lives in Charlottesville with his wife, Jacqueline, and their dog and cat, while their two kids attend the University of Virginia.
He said he’s got a couple more projects in the works.
“I just try to keep hope,” he said. “There’s a lot of research going on, and the whole idea is to survive until they create a cure. And then I’ll be doing a lot of traveling and I’ve got some other films to make.”
Farina said it’s so important for Virginians and people across the country to understand how a program like the Bridge Ministry positively impacts families and communities. A nation-wide campaign will be starting soon to have Farina’s film shown in schools.