Brooklyn, 1973. When Shu’aib Raheem and his friends try to steal guns for self-defense, the NYPD mistakes them for Black revolutionaries. A violent gun battle leaves an NYPD officer dead and turns into the longest hostage siege in NYPD history. Police psychologist Harvey Schlossberg has an impossible task: convincing his NYPD bosses to adopt a radical new tactic he calls hostage negotiation.
From writer/director/editor/producer Stefan Forbes, and the WGA Award-nominated producers of BOOGIE MAN: THE LEE ATWATER STORY, this documentary film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, won the Library of Congress Better Angels Award for historical film, and won a Grand Jury Prize at DOC NYC. HOLD YOUR FIRE tells the origin story of modern hostage negotiation amidst a passionate 1973 debate about racism, masculinity, violence and policing that remains fiercely relevant today. The film has no narrator. Instead, it weaves conflicting interviews into a challenging, Rashomon-like narrative. This mirrors Dr. Schlossberg’s methods of deep listening and radical empathy.
HOLD YOUR FIRE features Shu’aib Raheem, who made an inspiring journey to become a respected practitioner of restorative justice, his co-defendant and close friend Dawud Rahman, Dr. Schlossberg, whose theories went on to save 40,000 lives worldwide and helped catch Son of Sam, Panther 21 lawyer Gerald Lefcourt, former NYPD Hostage Negotiating Team Captain Jack Cambria, hostage leader Jerry Riccio, and key NYPD officers who participated in this seminal event.
The film is produced by Fab 5 Freddy (NEW JACK CITY, WILD STYLE, GRASS IS GREENER), Tia Wou (BOOGIE MAN: THE LEE ATWATER STORY), Amir Soltani (DOGTOWN REDEMPTION, ZAHRA’S PARADISE) and Mr. Forbes. It features music from Jonathan Sanford (NATIONAL CHAMPIONS) and multi-Grammy Award winner John Beasley (MONK’ESTRA) improvising live to picture. Consulting Producer is Sam Pollard (4 LITTLE GIRLS, JUNGLE FEVER, BAMBOOZLED).
Written by: Stefan Forbes Directed by: Stefan Forbes
Edited by: Stefan Forbes Produced by: Fab 5 Freddy, Tia Wou, Amir Soltani, Stefan Forbes
Runtime: 94 minutes Rating: unrated.
As a courtesy to the writer and producer, please do not RSVP unless you can stay for the Q&A portion of this event.
Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Please arrive at least 30 minutes early. Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. RSVPs do not guarantee seating, and no one will be admitted once the film has started.
