The Interrupters: UK TV Première

Having hit the big screens in July of this year to critical acclaim, although inexplicably snubbed from the 2012 Oscar nominations, Sunday 4th December sees BBC Four present the World TV première of Steve James’ (Hoop Dreams) breathtaking, hard-hitting documentary ‘The Interrupters’. The film takes an in-depth look at the ever-so-slightly daunting task that faces three of Chicago’s ‘Violence Interrupters’ face on a day-to-day basis.

With violent crime, more often than not, leading to firearm related homicides reaching truly shocking levels in some of Chicago’s urban communities, the city has taken a new experimental measure in an attempt to curb the issue. Through an organisation called CeaseFire, made up predominantly of people who have served prison time for similar offences, Violence Interrupters are deployed on a daily basis to try to reason with individuals and the community at large to find alternate solutions for disagreements as the problem threatens to spiral out of all control.

Due to be screened at 9pm on BBC Four on Sunday 9th of December as part of the channel’s consistently excellent Storyville series which in the past has showcased a diverse selection of top quality documentaries including ‘When the Levees Broke’, ‘Anvil! The Story of Anvil’ and the chilling ‘Your Father’s Murderer: A Letter to Zachary’, this is an opportunity to sit down in front of the box that we strongly urge you to take.