The foundation grant that helped allow Steve James to produce “Hoop Dreams” 20 years ago is back on board with a sizeable grant to Kartemquin Films for completion of James’ latest documentary.
A $200,000 MacArthur Foundation grant was given to director/producer James and producer/writer Alex Kotlowitz for their work-in-progress documentary, “The Interrupters,” the production company announced Friday.
The film is scheduled for broadcast on PBS’s “Frontline” next year.
“The grant is extremely timely and essential and will allow us to make the film in a way we hope does justice to the important issues the film addresses,” said James in a statement.
“The Interrupters” tells the story of the inner city anti-violence organization, CeaseFire, through which former gang members, who have turned their lives around, reach out to today’s generation of at-risk youth.
Epidemiologist Gary Slutkin founded CeaseFire on the principle that violence is a social disease that can be combated using methods similar to those he used in anti-HIV/AIDS campaigns in Africa.
