Barni Axmed Qaasim

I am a documentary filmmaker and multimedia artist. My work spans from documentary film to music videos to video and photo journalism. I am dedicated to capturing images and sounds that shine a light on the efficacy and strength of communities that are left out of or are misrepresented by mainstream media. It is my hope that my work honors the sophisticated oration and poetry tradition of my Somali culture. I construct vibrantly colored environments and like to juxtapose audio and images to build meaning through contrast. I draw inspiration from Ida B. Wells who pioneered investigative journalism to demand justice for her people. My work focuses on telling stories that create emotion and build connections between people because art can bring people together in a way that politics cannot.

I directed and produced Catching Babies, a feature length documentary that follows women as they learn midwifery on the USA/ Mexico border. I was an associate producer for the feature length documentary film Under Arpaio by J. M. Aragón of Pan Left Productions. Shot in the the state I grew up in, this film documents the grassroots resistance against the backwards, anti-migrant policies of the so-called "toughest sheriff in America." I am currently collaborating with PatchWorks Films and Five Steps Forward as an associate producer on a new documentary film in development, American Spring. The film will follow social media activists and explore what democracy looks like in the 21st century. A Little Rebirth, my first documentary, follows my Somali community in Phoenix, Arizona. In the summer of 2010 I returned to Phoenix, Arizona for six months to stand up for human rights and to support the people working against SB 1070. I worked with Puente Movement and Pan Left Productions.

Contact Information

Contact me to discuss screenings or collaborations.
Email: queenqaasim @ gmail.com

photo by Melanie Cervantes of Dignidad Rebelde