Shuvrajit Das Biswas
The nation stood still on September 11, 2001, as four coordinated terrorist attacks nearly shattered the powerful image of the United States. The devastating blow was spearheaded by al-Qaeda, who hijacked flights – two of which crashed into the World Trade Center towers, one that crashed into the Pentagon, and one where passengers thwarted the hijackers. The final flight was headed towards Washington DC but ended up crashing into a field in Pennsylvania. Of course, the USA has emerged like a phoenix from the ashes since the 9/11 attacks. The nation has started a vicious war on terror – whose ripples continue to be felt across the globe.
However, the people of the nation cannot wholly forget or move on from the horrors of the day. The lives lost have been too many, and the scars run too deep. There have been several documentaries and docuseries highlighting the various aspects of this national and, in some ways, global tragedy. Here are some of the best ones you might want to check out.
6. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ comes from Michael Moore, who’s never afraid to make a political statement – more so since President Donald Trump has taken office. In the documentary, Moore provides commentary on the scenario in America at the time, under the Bush administration. He shows the 9/11 attacks and how the US government invaded Iraq as a response. In Moore’s opinion, the invasion lacked accurate information and analysis, and the corporate media acted as cheerleaders of the move. Naturally, ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ is quite controversial and might offend quite a few. But, it is an eye-opening documentary offering an incisive perspective of events. You can watch it on Fubo TV or Amazon Prime, using the Showtime pack.
5. 102 Minutes That Changed America (2008)
Nobody does documentaries as well as the History Channel. ‘102 Minutes That Changed America’ is a moving story in pictures, accumulated from various pieces of video footage taken all over New York City at the time of the attacks. It shows the fear and panic at the ground level, along with the realization that lives have changed forever. It is an intensely moving piece. You can see it on the History Vault.
4. 9/11 (2002)
The documentary provides some intense inside access to the tragic sequence of events that unfolded on that fateful day. Two French filmmakers set out to make a documentary about a probationary firefighter. While the rest of the team went out on a call, the duo continued to film at the fire station. Suddenly, the low-flying aircraft drew their attention; the filmmaker turned his camera to the sky to capture the tragic moment when the plane crashed into the tower. It changed the lives of the viewers, and the documentary remains one of the most potent coverages of the incident. You can purchase and watch it on Amazon Prime.
Read More: Movies About Terrorism
3. 16 Acres (2012)
America rarely takes things lying down, and over time, the nation has shown an indomitable spirit. ’16 Acres’ follows the process where the USA recovers from the attack and begins the reconstruction process. Although the attacks on September 11, 2001, were devastating, everybody came together to move past it. We see how the new World Trade Center construction process is started. The titular 16 acres refers to the site of the original World Trade Center, which has been turned into a memorial to commemorate the lives lost. You can check out this uplifting inclusion on Epix or Amazon Prime.
2. 9/11: The Falling Man (2006)
One of the most iconic images to come out of the World Trade Center collapsing is the picture of the falling man. It led to an Esquire story and captures the horror of the attack simply yet effectively. ‘9/11: The Falling Man’ takes us into the story behind the photograph, and gives us an insight into the events as they unfurled on that fateful day. We are invited to examine the picture of the falling man from the North Tower, frozen mid-air. Despite the image being extremely impactful and being circulated widely, it was never given much space in the news. The documentary seeks to rectify that. If you wish, you can check out ‘9/11: The Falling Man’ on Amazon Prime by adding Xive Tv Documentaries to your existing pack.
1. Answering the Call: Ground Zero’s Volunteers (2005)
The tragedy on 9/11 would have been infinitely greater if not for the brave work done by all the ground volunteers. Due to the massive scale of the attack and the shock of the events, the first responders were quite stretched. America stood up as a nation, as people came together to help those in need. The documentary shows footage of the first wave of responders and what they had to encounter. What makes it especially moving is that it is helmed and narrated by people who were among the volunteers on that fateful day. You can buy it and watch it on Amazon.
Read More: Disaster Movies on Netflix
