The Interrupters

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Director: Steve James
Total Running Time: 125 minutes
Release Date: 2011
Website: http://interrupters.kartemquin.com
Study Guide: The Interrupters – Click Here

Synopsis
Living, breathing, modern-day heroes are inspiring hope on the scary streets of Chicago. Meet The Interrupters—former gang members who disrupt violence in their neighborhoods as it happens. Acclaimed director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Stevie), working with noted author Alex Kotlowitz, recounts the gripping stories of men and women who, with bravado, humility, and humor, strive to protect their communities from the brutality they once employed. With his signature intimate vérité, James follows these individuals over the course of a year as they attempt to intervene in disputes before they turn violent: two brothers who threaten to shoot each other, an angry teenage girl just home from prison, and a young man on a warpath of revenge. Both a voyage into the stubborn persistence of bloodshed in our cities today and a beacon of light, James’s unforgettable documentary captures each Interrupter’s inspired work, transporting us on a powerful journey from crime to trust to redemption. (Sundance Film Festival)

Awards
Winner, Best Documentary – Independent Spirit Awards
Official Selection, World Premiere – Sundance Film Festival
Winner, Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking & Best Direction – Cinema Eye Honors
Best Documentary – IndieWire National Critics Poll
Best Documentary – Village Voice National Critics Poll
Best Documentary – Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Best Documentary – Miami International Film Festival
Best Documentary – Miami Film Festival
Best Feature Documentary – Sheffield Doc/Fest
Best Documentary – Minneapolis International Film Festival
Nominated, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary – Directors Guild of America
True Life Fund Award – True/False Film Festival
Special Jury Award – Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
Audience Award – Philadelphia Cinefest
Audience Award – Little Rock Film Festival
Film of the Year – Common Folk Award
Opening Night Film – Aspen Ideas Festival
Centerpiece screening – Silverdocs
Runner-up, Best Documentary – National Film Critics Association

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