The Interrupters
Encyclopedia
The Interrupters is a 2011 documentary film
, produced by Kartemquin Films
, that tells the story of three violence interrupters who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once employed. The Interrupters examines a year in which Chicago drew national headlines for violence and murder that plagued the city.
The film features the work of CeaseFire
, an initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention. In 2004, Tio Hardiman (Director of CeaseFire Illinois) created and implemented The Violence Interrupter concept. Violence interrupters Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams and Eddie Bocanegra look back on their past experiences with street violence to try and steer young men and women in the right direction. Matthews, the daughter of former Chicago gang leader Jeff Fort
, comes to the aid of the mother of Derrion Albert, a Chicago High School student whose death made national headlines when it was captured on videotape.
Produced by Kartemquin Films
, The Interrupters is directed by Steve James
, director of the highly acclaimed documentary, Hoop Dreams
, and co-produced by Alex Kotlowitz
, author of the award winning book, There Are No Children Here
.
. It is scheduled for broadcast as part of the PBS series, Frontline, in early 2012. Early reviews for the film have suggested that The Interrupters is an early candidate for a 2011 Academy Award Nomination for Best Documentary film.
On March 3, 2011, The Interrupters made its international premiere at the 2011 Adelaide Film Festival in Australia. The film also picked up the Special Jury Award at the 18th annual Sheffield Doc/Fest - the UK's largest documentary festival - in June.
The film currently holds a "Certified Fresh" 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 69 reviews, with the consensus stating "Impeccably crafted and edited, The Interrupters is a tough and honest documentary about street violence that truly has the power to inspire change."
With 36.2% of the vote, The Interrupters won a poll asking readers of IndieWire
, an International Independent Film website, "what buzz heavy 2011 film are you most excited to see?".
After watching a screening of The Interrupters in October 2011, Bermuda's National Security Minister vowed to implement a CeaseFire-style program in the country.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, produced by Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1966 by Gordon Quinn, Jerry Temaner and Stan Karter, three University of Chicago graduates who wanted to make documentary films guided by their principle of "Cinematic Social Inquiry." They were soon joined by Jerry Blumenthal...
, that tells the story of three violence interrupters who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once employed. The Interrupters examines a year in which Chicago drew national headlines for violence and murder that plagued the city.
The film features the work of CeaseFire
CeaseFire (organization)
CeaseFire is an anti-violence program and initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention aimed at reducing street violence by using outreach workers to interrupt potentially violent situations. These violence interrupters work on the street, mediating conflicts between gangs and...
, an initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention. In 2004, Tio Hardiman (Director of CeaseFire Illinois) created and implemented The Violence Interrupter concept. Violence interrupters Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams and Eddie Bocanegra look back on their past experiences with street violence to try and steer young men and women in the right direction. Matthews, the daughter of former Chicago gang leader Jeff Fort
Jeff Fort
Jeff Fort is a former Chicago gang leader, co-founder of the Black P. Stones gang, and founder of its El Rukn faction. He was convicted in 1987 of conspiring with Libya to perform acts of domestic terrorism.- Biography :...
, comes to the aid of the mother of Derrion Albert, a Chicago High School student whose death made national headlines when it was captured on videotape.
Produced by Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1966 by Gordon Quinn, Jerry Temaner and Stan Karter, three University of Chicago graduates who wanted to make documentary films guided by their principle of "Cinematic Social Inquiry." They were soon joined by Jerry Blumenthal...
, The Interrupters is directed by Steve James
Steve James (producer)
Steve James is an American film producer and director of several documentaries, including the award-winning Hoop Dreams and Stevie. He is also the director of the 1997 feature film Prefontaine...
, director of the highly acclaimed documentary, Hoop Dreams
Hoop Dreams
Hoop Dreams is a 1994 documentary film directed by Steve James, with Kartemquin Films. It follows the story of two African-American high school students in Chicago and their dream of becoming professional basketball players....
, and co-produced by Alex Kotlowitz
Alex Kotlowitz
-Biography:Kotlowitz received his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University and is an alumnus of the Ragdale Foundation. He currently lives with his family just outside Chicago in the suburb of Oak Park.-Writing:...
, author of the award winning book, There Are No Children Here
There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America
There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America is a 1991 biography by Alex Kotlowitz that describes the experiences of two brothers growing up in Chicago's Henry Horner Homes...
.
Release and reception
The Interrupters premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
. It is scheduled for broadcast as part of the PBS series, Frontline, in early 2012. Early reviews for the film have suggested that The Interrupters is an early candidate for a 2011 Academy Award Nomination for Best Documentary film.
On March 3, 2011, The Interrupters made its international premiere at the 2011 Adelaide Film Festival in Australia. The film also picked up the Special Jury Award at the 18th annual Sheffield Doc/Fest - the UK's largest documentary festival - in June.
The film currently holds a "Certified Fresh" 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 69 reviews, with the consensus stating "Impeccably crafted and edited, The Interrupters is a tough and honest documentary about street violence that truly has the power to inspire change."
With 36.2% of the vote, The Interrupters won a poll asking readers of IndieWire
IndieWire
indieWIRE is a daily news site for the independent film community. It covers indie, documentary and foreign language films, as well industry news, film festival reports, filmmaker interviews and movie reviews...
, an International Independent Film website, "what buzz heavy 2011 film are you most excited to see?".
After watching a screening of The Interrupters in October 2011, Bermuda's National Security Minister vowed to implement a CeaseFire-style program in the country.