06/09/2002 - The directors who made 11’09’’01 September 11 talk about their film. Not a celebration but a memorable tribute to hope

This is a film that was made in total freedom by directors who were given no rules to follow. “A cinematographic recreation,” is how Claude Lelouch defined it during the press conference. “It is very rare to be given an opportunity to make a film on this kind of issue without automatically having to worry about the reactions of the public. It was a breath of fresh air for us directors.” Alain Brigand decided to go ahead with producing this ensemble film with Canal Plus and Galatée Films only after long and careful consideration. The ensemble film was screened as one of the special events of this edition of the Mostra. Despite strong criticism from American media who felt the film was strongly biased against America, the project continued. “The truth is I don’t really know what anti-American means,” said Brigand, “One does not criticise just to damage someone or something. It is simpler than that, and is the expression of people’s points of view. 9/11 is a tragedy that hit us all and an event that television alone could never have portrayed in its entirety. The idea for this film came from a need to find out what other people thought and certainly the intent was never to celebrate that tragedy.”
“We don’t seem to learn the lessons of history and go on repeating the same mistakes,” continues Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu., “We use God to justify our actions and that has often made me ask what on earth are we doing with the light that instead of guiding us, blinds us.”
This group of internationally acclaimed directors and citizens of the world express the strong and profound sentiments triggered by this tragedy that for one moment, enveloped all human suffering. And they manage to portray all this in films that last 11 minutes, 9 seconds and 1 frame each. “Lots has been said about these short films,” said Amos Gitaï, “but I think that the form with which we told our stories is just as interesting because its shows that art can come from tragedy.”
In all its extraordinary diversity of styles, this film will always stand as a memorable tribute to hope and her beautiful offspring: Indignation and Courage.

(Translated from Italian)