Rico King’s documentary, Nekai Walks, follows Nekai Foster, a 16-year-old who was a victim of a random shooting in the Jane and Finch area, on his journey of recovery. Shot in the head and leg, the chances of Nekai’s survival were slim, and the hopes that he would walk even if he did survive were low. With interviews from community workers, anti-gun advocates and other victims of gun violence, Nekai Walks paints a picture of the ways these acts of violence rob the city.
Nekai Walks is beautiful, not just visually, but also in the way it portrays Nekai’s story of survival. Nekai is optimistic and funny, surrounded by a family whose love for each other is palpable on/through the screen. One can’t help but think that that love is at least partly responsible for Nekai’s substantial recovery. More than the physical support he needed, they provided a mental, emotional and spiritual will to persevere.
Nekai Walks also zooms out of Nekai’s specific story to the broader perpetual incidents of gun violence in Toronto. Many questions are asked – where are the guns coming from? Why do these young people resort to guns? – and steps are taken to address some of those as best as possible. Community workers such as Devon Jones, founder of Youth Association for Academics, Athletics and Character Education (YAACE), work to develop positive relationships between the youth in the area through arts, sports and academics. Work like his, and many others, are highlighted as long term commitments. It’ll take many years to see the full positive impact these programmes have on the community, but they are also worth the years invested.
King, Nekai and the other subjects of Nekai Walks hope this film is one that inspires more people to be aware of what is going on in the country, and get involved in making it a safer, healthier place for young people, especially those marginalised by society, to grow up in.
Nekai Walks is playing at Hot Docs ’26. For more information, click here.
