11'09''01 - September 11 (2002)IMDB Link
So, premise. 11 acclaimed directors from all around the world are allocated 11 minutes and 9 seconds (and apparently 1 extra frame) to make their movie, resulting in a fascinating and unique take on the event that changed the world. You see, in itself and as an individual event, and I hate to sound like a dick, nothing that world-tragic about 911. Yes, a terrorist attack on two buildings killed people, but terrorist attacks, natural disaster, diseases, and wars, are killing people every day.
What makes 911 important for the whole world is not the death toll itself, but its effect on the world. American policy, whether political or business, has a rippling affect on everyone in the world. That is why, I think globally, a movie like this is much more important the WTC movies we have had. I don’t care about Oliver Stone’s two hero firemen and heroic acts of that heroic day or the heroes in the hero flight that did hero stuff to save the heroic Americans. But what I want to know is what does the rest of the world think? How far did the smoke of the buildings go?
In Iran’s section, we watch as a rural school teacher asks the Afghani refugees if they know what event has occurred in the world. They wonder if it’s about the person who fell in the well, and died. The teacher tries desperately to explain the event, but how do you do that to a group of children’s whose scope of vision is a refugee life, and who’s only understanding of the buildings is to have it compared to a tall chimney?
In France, it focuses on a deaf/dumb girl and her relationship.
Egypt offers us the director debating with a ghost of a marine. For example, the soldier says, “America is defending its own interesting.” The director shouts back, “Defending them at whose expense? Always that of others. Only your soul is sacred and the world owes you everything? No one else deserves even a tear?”
West Africa – Burkina Faso (where is that?) has one of my favorite. It is about a group of school kid, located Bin Ladin in their hometown, and decided to capture him for the reward money!
UK has a Chilean writing a letter about the Chile revolution, and US’s hand in a coup. It is an angry letter, and certainly looks out of place in a 911 film, but that is what makes this movie special. “We will remember you, I hope you will remember us”
Mexico offers a weird experiment, which seems fantastic, but is boring to watch. 11 minutes of almost news sound clips, shouting, explosions, etc. It is an interesting collage, but it is still tiring to watch.
And so forth, the rest are Bosnia, Israel, India, USA (directed by Sean Penn, of course, who else you expect in a movie like this, Japan (unsurprising, the weirdest of all, but hey, it’s Japan). None of them are fully failures, even though some don’t work to me, that does not mean it is not a welcome addition. Even those that I did not like, like the Mexico one, adds to the movie.
Maybe the movie came too soon. Released 2002, people (especially Americans) did not want to be challenged by the event. Still, it might be too early, considering the WTC movies that were released. But at least, it is a perfect timing for non-Americans too watch.
4/5
