Steve James’ (pictured, second from left) 2011 documentary The Interrupters, about a Chicago-based anti-violence campaign, earned the top audience award at the Regent Park Film Festival.

The film portrays three young people who share a violent past and fight their own inner demons, while becoming “violence interrupters” in their Chicago neighborhood.

Other prize-giving at the Toronto festival included local director/artist Chase Joynt earning the most promising filmmaker prize for his short experimental documentary Akin, about an Orthodox Jewish mother and her transgender son.

Akin was chosen by a jury made up of Sheena D. Robertson, Jeff Kariuki and Hubert Davis.

Akin earlier earned Joynt an emerging artist prize at the Inside Out Film and Video Festival.