LAMBERTVILLE: ‘Destiny’s Bridge’ film caps Acme benefit weekend

On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Acme Screening Room annual benefit lunch, silent auction and arts trio will showcase “Destiny’s Bridge” on film, photo and in poetry.
The day raise funds for the only cinema in Hunterdon County, where it preserves a place for alternative voices, emerging and established filmmakers. It operates out of the Pittore Justice Center at 25 S. Union St.
The benefit will feature the story of the Ocean County make-shift village that stood up for the rights of the poor, and inspired the film, a book-length poem and a photo essay.
A photo show by Sherry Rubel will be shown in the Acme lobby.
At noon a lunch at Anton’s at the Swan features a poetry reading by Hank Kalet. The film will be shown at 1:30 p.m. at the Acme, when you can meet the director, Jack Ballo. The photo show continues in the Acme lobby.
The cinema verite film follows a year in the life of Destiny’s Bridge, a makeshift village in the woods, built by people without the means to secure permanent homes. The village, creatively constructed from tents, some decorated, even one surrounded by a white picket fence, is home to veterans, artists, musicians, unemployed and some in recovery or struggling. The residents set out to create their own self-sustained housing that will provide community, ownership and rehabilitation.
Led by a resident-minister passionate to stand up for the rights of the poor, the community resists eviction and internal strife. Police raids and arrests are met by charges of harassment; the documentary questions the human rights of the poor while exploring new ideas for housing the homeless. The film is not rated and is 80 minutes long.
Of the $75 ticket price, 48 percent will benefit Acme Screening Room. A portion of proceeds will be paid to the filmmaker to benefit the “Finishing Fund” for this film.
New Jersey-based filmmaker Jack Ballo makes humanitarian films that bring awareness to social issues. His film, “Before You Leave” (2012) won Best Short Documentary at its premiere at the Garden State Film Festival. His first humanitarian documentary, “Wrong Turn” (2008), highlighted a Canadian man and his wife who retired and went on vacation to the Dominican Republic. Another 25 years later, they are still there, building homes for families living in shacks. In 2010, Ballo went back to the Dominican Republic and made an award-winning film called “Elio” (2010). 