• Director: Steve James
• Language: English
• Theatrical Release Date: July 29, 2011
• On The Web Film WebsiteIMDB Entryhomepage

Tagline: Every City Needs Its Heroes

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. [Synopsis courtesy of Sundance]