Shamso Mohamoud and Shamso Elmi both lost their sons to violence and had to endure watching their alleged killers walk free without so much as a legal prosecution. Now the two Somali-Canadian mothers have organized a group, called Mending a Crack in the Sky, to combat gun violence and offer support to mothers as they grieve and navigate the criminal justice system.
Photo from Xasuuqii (meaning Massacre) a film by Zach Jama.
Roble Issa and Zach Jamma interviewed by Kythe Heller.
Directors: Roble Issa and Zach Jama
Producers: Lauren Grant and Lisa Jackson
Roble Issa is a Somali-Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto. After graduating with a degree in Psychology from York University, he pursued a career in film, starting as a screenwriter before making the transition to directing. His work explores themes such as identity, coming of age, and mental health.
Zach Jama is a documentary filmmaker and engineer. He studied his BASc in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada and his MFA in Cinematic Arts in Jordan. In 2019, Zach graduated with a Master of Science (MSc) in Art, Culture and Technology from MIT.