The Interrupters


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The Interrupters is a new documentary about the fight against violence on Chicago streets. Director/producer Steve James and author-turned-producer Alex Kotlowitz, whose original article inspired the film, join us on Chicago Tonight at 7:00 pm, along with one of the Violence Interrupters. The film follows a year in the life of the city of Chicago as it deals with the issue of urban violence.

Watch the Trailer for The Interrupters below:

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At the heart of the story are three Violence Interrupters who work for CeaseFire, a local organization whose guiding principle is that the spread of violence mimics the spread of infectious diseases, must be dealt using similar treatment: go after the most infected, and stop the infection at its source.

Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams and Eddie Bocanegra each have credibility on the streets because of their own personal histories. The film follows these three Interrupters as they go about their work to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they themselves once employed.

In the following video clip from the film, Eddie conducts an art class in a Chicago charter school to help students deal with the violence in their community.

 

 

In the following video, Ameena speaks at the funeral of a young man who was shot and killed out of retaliation.

 

 

 

The Interrupters opens in Chicago on Friday, Aug. 12 at the Gene Siskel Film Center.

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