I’d argue that we can define modern history as the period before and after September 11th 2001. Anyone waking up on that Tuesday morning would never have believed the events which were about to transpire. The attack on the World Trade Centre was the deadliest on US soil, killing just under 3000 people and injuring countless more. Since that tragic day there has been a notable shift in global politics and attitudes.
Whilst the echoes of that day still permeate across America and in the US’s foreign policy, the scars that were left on those who were in and around the lower Manhattan area will never fade. 2021 marks the twentieth anniversary of that day and with it a raft of films and remembrances. 9/11: One Day in America combines contemporary interviews with a wealth of archive footage to chart those events which shook the very heart of democracy.
Although there will be many portrayals of this traumatic moment in history, 9/11: One Day in America brings together such richly diverse footage and places it in the context of the unfolding events. Daniel Bogado’s film works so well because of the way its pieced together and the willingness to let the archive material and survivor’s voices tell the story in their own words. 9/11: One Day in America is a powerful and moving account of one of the darkest days in modern American history.
9/11: One Day in America screens at Sheffield Doc/Fest.
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