The documentary Put the Guns Down: A World Epidemic, executive produced by Ice-T and co-directed by Terry C. Carney, Sr. and Eric Herbert, will premiere at the Hollywood Weekly Film Festival on Saturday, November 15th at Warner Brothers Studios. This feature-length film provides an unflinching exploration of gun violence with specific focus on South Central Los Angeles, humanizing statistics through raw testimonies and unprecedented access to victims, families, and community members.
The documentary represents the first installment in a planned 12-part series that examines the escalating global crisis of gun violence. Through exclusive interviews with artists including Spice 1, Chilly Chill, and Kokane, the film explores root causes such as economic hardship and inadequate mental health care infrastructure. The production aims to serve as more than entertainment, positioning itself as a global rallying cry to inspire viewers to understand deeper societal forces behind violence and catalyze transformative reforms.
The film's selection for the Hollywood Weekly Film Festival, detailed at https://filmfreeway.com/HollywoodWeeklyMagazineFilmFestival, provides significant platform visibility for its anti-violence message. Director Terry C. Carney, Sr., founder of Platinum City Golden West Entertainment Films, brings personal experience to the project, having witnessed the impact of gun violence throughout his life, including the tragic loss of friend and collaborator Nipsey Hussle.
The documentary's importance lies in its potential to shift public discourse around gun violence prevention by focusing on systemic issues rather than isolated incidents. By examining economic disparities and mental health care gaps as contributing factors, the film offers a comprehensive framework for understanding violence that extends beyond individual responsibility to societal structures. This approach could influence policy discussions and community interventions aimed at reducing gun violence through multi-faceted solutions.
The production team includes executive producers Eugene Ysaguirre, Monae Veronica Chavez, Harold Cheatham, and Juan Villanueva, along with assistant producers Ernest Churchill, Sean E. Sean, Jorge Hinojosa, Cornell Joseph Ward, Tim Crowe, Mack Tompkins, Lawon D. Carney, Sonya A. Carney, Jajuan Bryant, Andre Mitchell, and Devin Mitchell. Carney's previous recognition includes the Fathers in Hip Hop Fatherhood Acknowledgement Award and multiple TAF awards for humanitarian work and community contributions.
For audiences seeking to engage with the documentary beyond the festival screening, the film will be available through https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0DL75MQ8S/ref=atv_sr_fle_c_Tn74RA_1_1_1?sr=1-1&pageTypeIdSource=ASIN&pageTypeId=B0DL6L93TJ&qid=1758868223332. Additional information about the project and its mission can be found at https://terryccarneysr.com. The documentary's impact extends beyond entertainment, offering potential frameworks for communities worldwide grappling with similar challenges of gun violence and its underlying causes.
