September 11Th Film Festival School Information Packet

20 Years Later: Information Packet 20 Years Later is a virtual film festival commemorating the 20th anniversary of September 11th. It will be run and organized by September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, a nonprofit organized by those related to the victims of the September 11th attacks. The theme of the festival is peace and justice. The following are films that may be includedi: • We are Many, Directed by Amir Amirani. This fearless, thought-provoking documentary details the remarkable story behind the first ever global demonstration. Whilst the protests did not stop the Iraq War, the movement inspired a new generation of activists. The legacy of the demonstrations continued to influence campaigners across the world; including activists in Egypt during the Arab Spring as well as Black Lives Matter campaigners in the United States. ‘We Are Many’ features testimony from organizers, activists, celebrities and politicians who provide a unique insight in to the protest itself and the global context which led to the marches. • In Our Son’s Name, Directed by Gayla Jamison. An intimate portrait of Phyllis and Orlando Rodríguez, whose son, Greg, dies with thousands of others in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The bereaved parents choose reconciliation and nonviolence over vengeance and begin a transformative journey that both confirms and challenges their convictions. • Finding Our Voices , Directed by Victoria Hughes, Starring Martin Sheen. They were lonely voices swamped by a domineering system, deaf from the lust for battle in the wake of Sept 11th. Today America is a changed landscape with the war universally unpopular. The contradictions between now and then are stark, illogical, confusing. Today how is America coming to grips with the harsh treatment of those crying out in despair on the eve of a terrible war? • Select shorts from 11’09”01, TBD • The Report, Directed Scott Z. Burns, starring Adam Driver and Annette Bening. An idealistic Senate staffer leads an investigation into the CIA’s post-9/11 Detention and Interrogation program, uncovering the lengths to which the agency went to hide a brutal secret from the American public. • Fahrenheit 9/11, Directed and Narrated by Michael Moore. With his characteristic humor and dogged commitment to uncovering the facts, Moore considers the presidency of George W. Bush and where it has led us. He looks at how – and why – Bush and his inner circle avoided pursuing the Saudi connection to 9/11, despite the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis and Saudi money had funded Al Qaeda. Fahrenheit 9/11 shows us a nation kept in constant fear by FBI alerts and lulled into accepting a piece of legislation, the USA Patriot Act, that infringes on basic civil rights. • My Name is Khan, Directed by Karan Johar, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Sheetal Menon. An Indian Muslim man with Asperger's syndrome takes a challenge to speak to the President of the United States seriously and embarks on a cross-country journey. • The Mauritanian, Directed by Kevin Macdonald, starring Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch. Based on the NY Times best-selling memoir "Guantánamo Diary" by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, this is the true story of Salahi's fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government for years. Alone and afraid, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander and her associate Teri Duncan who battle the U.S. government in a fight for justice that tests their commitment to the law and their client at every turn. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by a formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch, uncovers shocking truths and ultimately proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up. UPDATE: Mohamedou Ould Slahi (The original Mauritanian) will be speaking on a panel for this festival. Scheduling: The Festival will run from Tuesday, September 7th through Sunday, September 12th. Each film will be accessible for 1-3 days, depending on rights and request, by participating personnel. Each film will have a day highlighting the production and featuring live and pre-recorded speeches and panels from people associated with the film(s) for that day, and from 9/11 family members and first responders. Goals of the Festival: 20 Years Later has four primary goals: 1) To promote productive discussion and problem-solving, centering around the theme of peace and justice, through an assortment of films relevant to the topic. 2) To serve as a commemoration to the victims of the September 11th Attacks, and all events ensuing. 3) To educate young people who have no memory of or who were not yet born on the day of the 9/11 Attacks. 4) To raise funds, publicity, and awareness for September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, and our mission to turn our grief into action toward peace. Audience: This festival will be advertised to high schools, colleges, and universities across the United States, and to the general public through social media and in advertisements in select public spaces. Unfortunately, due to copyright issues, the festival will not be accessible in its complete form internationally. Educational Opportunities: This festival will be centered around peace and justice, and will feature various documentaries and interpretive narratives of 9/11. Each film will have special guest introductions as well as live panels for which students and other viewers may submit questions. Access to school resource packets/discussion prompts will be available for both the high school and college level. For More Information Please Contact: Ari Radcliffe-Greene (617)-388-8480 / [email protected] i All plot descriptions are quoted or adapted from the films’ websites and IMDb profiles. .

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