'Hoop Dreams' director says new film 'The Interrupters' a kindred spirit

TORONTO - There have been moments over the course of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Steve James' long career when he didn't welcome being identified simply as the director of "Hoop Dreams."

Filmmaker Steve James is shown in a handout photo

After all, while that basketball documentary is still held in impossibly high regard, it was released 17 years ago and James has pursued several other projects since.

But when it comes to "The Interrupters" — his acclaimed new documentary about a few brave souls crusading to curb inner-city violence — James understands that viewers may find memories of "Dreams" recurring, and he doesn't mind.

"I welcome it in this case because for the most part, it's been a very positive comparison," the director said during an interview in Toronto this week.

"I do feel like (the films) are kindred spirits in a lot of ways.... They're very different films but they also share some of the same sensibilities (and) concerns for the same issues if you want to call it that.... The audience comes away feeling that they've been transported in a way and feeling moved and shaken."

"I mean, the 'Hoop Dreams' comparison I get with virtually every film I make to some degree ... and sometimes I wish it weren't the case because you know, I've made a lot of other films. But in this case, I think it's a good thing."

Perhaps it also helped that having "Hoops" on his resume solidified James' street credibility during an often-taxing year-long shoot.

"The Interrupters" focuses on a street-level violence prevention program called CeaseFire, which aims to defy the tide of bloodshed on Chicago streets through conflict mediation.

The film gets its title from a cluster of courageous souls who put themselves directly in harm's way to perform those mediations, trying to defuse volatile situations with words, gentle physical gestures or, at times, sheer force of will.