Stevie
2002, 144 minutes
In 1995, filmmaker Steve James returns to Pomona, a beautiful rural hamlet in Southern Illinois to reconnect with Stevie Fielding, for whom James once served as an advocate Big Brother. He finds that the once difficult, awkward child has become -- ten years later -- an angry and troubled young man. Part way through filming, Stevie is arrested and charged with a serious crime. He confesses to the crime and then later recants. The filmmaker himself is drawn into the film as he tries to sort out his own feelings, past and present, about Stevie and how to deal with him in the wake of his arrest. What was to be a modest profile of Stevie, turns into an intimate four and a half year chronicle of a dysfunctional family's struggle to heal.
Stevie is a Kartemquin Films production in association with SenArt Films.
Independent Spirit Award Nomination for The Interrupters
November 29, 2011
The Interrupters has been recognized with a nomination for Best Documentary at the Independent Spirit Awards. The honor will be Director Steve James' third nomination from Film Independent's Spirit Awards, with nods for Stevie in 2003 and a win for Hoop Dreams in 1994. The awards take place on February 25th in Santa Monica and will be broadcast by IFC. Get more information.
About.com's Documentaries Guide has put up a poll for the public to vote on who should win the documentary category.
- Director
- Steve James
- Producers
- Steve James
- Adam D. Singer
- Gordon Quinn
- Executive Producers
- Robert May
- Gordon Quinn
Comments
November 27, 2010 - 4:37am
Marina
I just finished seeing "Stevie". I presume there is not a lot of information about the charges and evidence against Stevie to keep a certain level of privacy. I would just hope that the law in the town he was tried in, was followed appropriately. It just appears that if he wasn't given his Miranda rights, in most cases, there would be no case.
If there wasn't physical evidence, again getting 10 years would appear to be a bit much.
From what I understand "child molesters" do not last in prison. Where is Stevie now since 10 years has passed?
February 8, 2011 - 6:00am
Terry McDaniel
Touching film, saw it yesterday morning on CineMax.
My wife has too many High School students who are living out Stevie's life. We have to learn to recognize, understand and break the cycle of abused becoming the abuser.
Where is "Stevie" now:
From the Illinois Automated Victim Notification System; Stephen Fielding, with offender number B81651, was tentatively scheduled to be released from Lawrence Correctional Center on 2/15/2010.
Best wishes to Stevie, and thank you to Steve James for a great film. I'll be looking forward to seeing more of your work, and future productions.
April 19, 2011 - 7:49am
Terra
I just watched STEVIE.
What a moving story.I was amazed that I felt for him as much as I did.My worst fear is a child molestor. I felt that he was still a child in many ways and seeing him with his old foster parents OH MY GOD that was so sweet and so sad!
Thank -you fr such a real and sad story!I wish I could help every little boy and girl that are lost !
You did a lovely job!
July 8, 2011 - 2:12pm
Barbara Scapelitte
I loved Stevie the movie !
Is there a soundtrack from the movie? I'd love to buy one !
August 31, 2011 - 5:15am
Anonymous
I have never seen a film that more shows true humanity than Stevie. I stayed up all night to watch this documentary. Other than reading "The Poisonwood Bible", I have not been so moved to rethink my mindset and, I thank Mr. James whole heartedly. It also has a quote I will take with me forever, "sometimes I wish we weren't so human.". This film deserves all of it's accolades. Please keep producing Mr. James' documentaries.
January 18, 2012 - 11:38pm
William Michael
I watched this film when it first came out back in 2002. I was very intrigued by the hopeless plight that Stevie faced. He certainly had the decked stacked against him from the get-go in his life. Not to excuse his behavior, or the horrible crime he committed, but Stevie was failed by everyone in his life...I was curious if Mr. James was ever interested in catching up with Stevie now and the possibility of making another documentary about him and where he is at in life now? The 10 years that Stevie was sentenced to have came and went...I wonder where Stevie is today? I can only guess that he is in worse shape than before and most likely going to wind up back in prison one day.
February 17, 2012 - 3:12am
Jim Becker
As of 2/16/12 Stevie is still in prison (he has been in and out at least twice) in Tennessee. Sad story. At least he's still alive. He is a good example of the cycle of violence and the failure of the institutions we have set up to help children. It's hard not to love this guy in spite of all he's done.
April 14, 2012 - 10:07am
dawn
it really gave me a different view of a molester. it's usually a given that a molester has a history of bad things happening to them but to actually see his life and the events that ultimately led up to him being who he was at that moment gave a very human perspective on things. it actually made him kind of likable and evoked sympathy for this guy who kind of never stood a chance in life. the complexity of his life. all the ingredients that went into making this guy who he was. he did have a support system in a "from afar" aspect. his longing to be loved by a parental figure is so moving. to say that he was failed by everyone in his life------ yes that is true in many aspects but to paint in such a broad stroke is not accurate -imho- people are also only human, they gave as much as they could. it must have been heartwrenching for his favorite foster family to have given him back to a system that really did fail him. it's all just makes for a really intriguing and thought provoking biography. from the perspective of someone who was molested as a child, this movie has changed me.
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