January 2012  

THE INTERRUPTERS by Steve James and Alex Kotlowitz

One of the most talked about documentaries of 2011, Kartemquin Films' The Interrupters tells the riveting story of three CeaseFire “violence interrupters” in Chicago who courageously try to protect their communities from violence.

From acclaimed director Steve James (Hoop Dreams) and bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz (There Are No Children Here), this film is an unusually intimate journey into the stubborn persistence of violence in our cities. Shot over the course of a year, The Interrupters captures a period in Chicago when it became a national symbol for urban violence.

With bravado, humility, and even humor, the interrupters — who have credibility on the streets because of their own personal histories — intervene in conflicts before they explode into violence.

The Interrupters played to an overflow crowd at our Reeltime screening.  We were so pleased to have Cobe Williams, one of the CeaseFire violence interrupters featured in the film, and Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl participate in a lively post-screening discussion. 

Co-presented with the Evanston Community Foundation.