Knocking On Heaven’s Door

“Knocking On Heaven’s Door” is a 45 minute documentary film that looks at youth violence in Jamaica, a country with the second highest murder rate in the world. Jamaica’s murder rate is ten times that of United States. Many of the victims and perpetrators are young people. In 2007, 265 children were murdered in Jamaica. The film profiles some dedicated individuals and organizations in Jamaica that utilize creativity and compassion to promote and support violence prevention activities with Jamaican youth. The film focuses on the small community of Rose Town that has been struggling with intense youth violence for the past 30 years. The documentary features the work being done by the Jamaican-Canadian Association and the Canadian Future Leaders, a group of young Jamaican-Canadians based in Toronto. The film shows how Jamaican organizations are equipping children with the knowledge and skills to resolve conflict peacefully through a variety of community-based programs.