directed by Brian Knappenberger

25 years ago the world stopped and I’m not sure it has ever moved forward. And if it has, then I’m afraid the direction was chosen wrongly. I believe I don’t need to give you any background on 9/11 because even if you’re from a younger generation, I hope you’ve heard of that tragedy. Today, I’d like to recommend you an interesting documentary, which isn’t another production about the event itself, but it focuses on the generations after 9/11. The children of the victims are now adults and we get to listen to their perspective. Some of them were few years old and don’t even remember the parent they lost back then. How have those circumstances influenced their coming of age? There’s no one scenario, but surely most of them feel horrible injustice and the need of revenge. I’m not judging their choices, because I’d probably follow a similar path, but the thing is we’re stuck in a never-ending war. Going to the army and fighting against other nations will always be wrong, because lots of innocent people die and there will always be a next generation to continue. Apart from the actual wars happening somewhere far, we, consciously or unconsciously, feed this conflict by spreading fake news, trusting stereotypes and sharing xenophobia. Some people say that the world was supposed to end in 2000, but instead it ended in 2001 – and I kind of agree with them. There has been a horrible tension since 9/11 and even in Europe, where we are very multicultural, hearing a different accent has been alarming. This documentary has average ratings, but I guess it’s because people are just tired of the topic and really want to move on. But it seems like we can’t and the trauma will always be with us. Besides, the film really focuses on the new generations, so to me it’s a fresh perspective to discover. Perhaps the documentary is slightly messy in its structure, but in the end I find it thought-provoking. I cannot even imagine the pain those families feel after losing someone they loved. On a random Tuesday. In a country that seemed to be safe and prepared. I cannot tell you not to worry, but I can remind you to take care of each other and never take any day for granted.
My rating: 6/10
S.








