The Interrupters tells the moving and surprising stories of three Violence Interrupters — former gang members who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once caused.
Direction
Steve James embeds so deep you forget it's a documentary.
Acting
Ameena Matthews: a force of nature you can't script.
Editing
Patient storytelling that earns every gut punch.
Director
Steve James
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Violence Interrupters model, founded by Gary Slutkin, has been replicated in cities worldwide—but funding remains precarious.
Ameena Matthews is daughter of Jeff Fort, founder of the Black P Stones—one of Chicago's most notorious gangs. Her lineage makes her credibility on the streets undeniable.
US
