A documentary offering a solution to homelessness is screening for free in Columbus on Sept. 24. “Beyond the Bridge” hopes to offer Columbus officials new ways to resolve homelessness.
Filmmakers Don Sawyer and Tim Hashko first created a film called “Under the Bridge” about a homeless camp in Indianapolis in 2015.
“As we were taking that film around the country, people were saying, ‘Thank you for pointing out the problem, what’s the solution?’ And that resonated with us,” Sawyer explained. “And so we decided, let’s do a film about solutions. We’ve never seen a film like that before.”
“Beyond the Bridge” is about searching for that solution. The film looks at several major cities and how city officials are responding to homelessness. The duo says that two cities stood out because of their approach and their results.
“You know, we're not these geniuses who are coming up with something new, some innovative ideas. We just kinda saw what works and well, specifically in two communities, Milwaukee and Houston, and the common sense approach that they use,” Hashko said. “Both communities realized that we have the elements, we have all the non-profits, the service providers, we have the resources, but we’re not really aligned in one mission.”
The filmmakers say collaboration and coordination look like the key to having an effective response to homelessness.
“Columbus is well positioned, like most places, are well positioned to solve homelessness because all the institutions that are needed to do it, the health care system, the mental health care system, addiction services, homeless service providers, faith-based community, law enforcement, judicial system, you have all of those elements,” Sawyer said. “You just need to have them work together under one mission and one plan to where you can find a pathway from every population of homelessness, youth ... families, etc., from homeless to house.”
The documentary is screening for free on Sept. 24, at the Lincoln Theater. Tickets are currently sold out.