Powers of Towers (2014)

Five years ago Sabina Ali left a life in Saudi Arabia for a new start in Toronto. But in her new hometown, the so-called multicultural mecca of the world, she was disappointed to find dilapidated concrete communities that cut new comers off from the life of the city. Powers of Towers is the story of an unusual partnership between two Torontonians who grew up a world apart. Inspired by the late urban activist Jane Jacobs, they saw beauty and potential where most saw decay. Artistically narrated with audio of Jacobs, this short film tells the story of citizens who fought city hall to turn a crumbling apartment complex into one of North America's most vibrant and populous Islamic communities.