The Interrupters: Every City Needs its Heroes

The Interrupters tells the moving and surprising stories of three Violence Interrupters who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once employed. From acclaimed director Steve James and bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz, this film is an unusually intimate journey into the stubborn persistence of violence in our cities. Shot over the course of a year out of Kartemquin Films, The Interrupters captures a period in Chicago when it became a national symbol for the violence in our cities. During that period, the city was besieged by high-profile incidents, most notably the brutal beating of Derrion Albert, a Chicago High School student, whose death was caught on videotape.

The film’s main subjects work for an innovative organization, CeaseFire. It was founded by an epidemiologist, Gary Slutkin, who believes that the spread of violence mimics the spread of infectious diseases, and so the treatment should be similar: go after the most infected, and stop the infection at its source. One of the cornerstones of the organization is the “Violence Interrupters” program, created by Tio Hardiman, who heads the program. The Interrupters — who have credibility on the streets because of their own personal histories — intervene in conflicts before they explode into violence.

WHAT IF…
In collaboration with the Rosamond Gifford Foundation, ArtRage Gallery screens films depicting community efforts to improve their communities and the world. The 2015 spring series of three films runs March thru May. Films are selected by community members and are shown twice monthly on different days and locations. Each screening is followed by a facilitated discussion. All films are free to the public. No reservation is required.

The fall series has ArtRage partnering with a variety of  local community organizations. The Interrupters partner is SNUG – anti-violence program.