Special to Sun
Beginning Sunday, Jan. 12, Old South Church in Boston will offer a five-week forum series engaging with the powerful documentary film ‘Holding Up the Sky.’ The series will take place at the church at 10 a.m. each Sunday, with in-person viewings and discussion opportunities, including conversation with the film’s director, Bob Nesson.
This 55-minute documentary tells the remarkable stories of Ed Jordan and Jimmy Costello, two formerly incarcerated men who, despite contrasting social and family backgrounds and the difficult circumstances of their crimes, found purpose, hope, and success through mentorship and persistence. The film highlights their intertwined journeys through and beyond the prison system, shedding light on issues of social justice and reforms needed in our criminal justice system.
‘Holding Up the Sky’ focuses on the systemic challenges of incarceration and the transformational power of mentorship and education. The film’s broader mission is to spark awareness and inspire meaningful action, such as policy changes, increased support systems, and job creation for formerly incarcerated individuals.
While in development, the documentary has been screened at fundraisers at influential venues, including the Massachusetts State House, Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life, and others. The film is supported by key local and national organizations and individuals, such as the LDB Peace Institute in Dorchester, Haley House, and Truth & Reconciliation Conversations (https://trconversations.com) based in Florida. Its founder and chair is activist Kahlil Osiris, who mentored one of the film’s subjects while both were in prison.
The five-week series is designed to educate, inspire, and catalyze meaningful conversation and action. The film will be screened in three sections, each followed by discussion.
The introduction to the series and a screening of part one of the three-part documentary are set for Jan. 12: The second and third parts of the documentary will then be screened on Jan. 19 and 6, respectively.
A conversation on ‘Exploring the Broken Systems Exposed by the Film’ is scheduled for Feb. 2, while a conversation on ‘How Old South Church Can Deepen its Justice Work’ is set for Feb. 9.
Each session will provide additional educational materials, including context, statistics, and reflection prompts. Discussions will focus on systemic issues, such as racism, neurodiversity in the prison system, and the generational impacts of trauma. Participants will also consider ways to take action, both as individuals and as a community.
For more information, contact Kate Nintcheu at [email protected].