By Once in a while, you find out about a movie that really moves you. The Interrupters is a new documentary by director Steven James – director of the acclaimed documentary Hoop Dreams – about Cease Fire Illinois‘ Violence Interrupters program on the South Side of Chicago. The Violence Interrupters are a group of former gang leaders who now spend their time and effort trying to prevent killings and mediate conflict in some of the poorest, most crime riddled neighborhoods of the city of Chicago in order to prevent retaliatory violence.
The documentary follows three of these Interrupters, one of whom, Ameena Matthews, was recently interviewed on NPR’s Fresh Air program, along with James, about the documentary. The trailer by itself is absolutely breathtaking, I can presume the full-length move will bring me to tears.
[Via NPR]