9/11: The Falling Man

I was an Ambulance Dispatcher working the day shift on 9/11. On our floor we had giant television screens, tuned into the news, so that we would know if anything major was happening in the city. The horror of watching the attacks and the hours of images I saw that day, while taking emergency calls for our own Canadian city, stayed with me for a very long time. Here we are 20 years later and I finally committed to watching a documentary about that day.. Judgement about how or even when a person decides to die isn't something I spend much time thinking about, but this documentary did make me think about it. I can tell you that it didn't take me long to come to the conclusion that once I realized that there was no way out and no chance of rescue, I hoped I would have the courage to take control and jump, rather than wait meekly for death to take me. The day really wasn't any easier to watch this time around, but we need to remember. Change doesn't happen because we ignore history's problems, it happens when we remember them and are horrified enough, to make sure it's never repeated.

The 2006 documentary "9/11: The Falling Man" was actually a documentary that I feel is a necessary documentary. Sure, there has been an abundance of documentaries about the firefighters, policemen, and other rescue personnel that was involved in the events that took place on September 11th. But "9/11: The Falling Man" tells the story of those that we haven't heard about, but all knew were there.

And while some people saw these terrible things with their own eyes, others only saw whatever was covered by the news and media. And while sitting through this ordeal, I must admit that I am a bit appalled by the fact that it was opted to quiet and forget about the people that decided to, for whatever reason I cannot ever possible determine, jump from the towers and plummet to their deaths below. Why would there be a need to forget about these people and pretend it never happened.

Sure, I don't agree upon the act of trying to trace down the identity of the individual in the iconic photo that was shot and world-widely frowned upon afterwards. But yeah, there was a story here, one that in no way deserved to be hushed and forgotten, but at the same time not one that needed to be delved into for finding an identity.

"9/11: The Falling Man" is a documentary that most certainly is worth watching, and one that sinks in under the skin and sticks with you, but at the same time provides some very enlightening informations of what happened.

My rating of "9/11: The Falling Man" lands on a six out of ten stars.

I just finished watching this film on a streaming service. Strange I'd not seen it before. Apparently, since it is a British production, it must not have gotten much distribution in the outlets I frequent. Its minuscule list of nominations and awards reflects a much undeserved lack of attention in the U.S., to my mind. Of all the stories I've seen on the 9/11 attack, and there have been many, this film puts the most honest and telling human face on that horrendous tragedy. Before seeing this film, the thousands of people who died that day were a mass of faceless unknowns to me. Through thought provoking interviews with eyewitnesses, coworkers and family members of lost ones, ones who died in the most horrible of circumstances and were filmed jumping to their deaths, the film brings to life real everyday people consumed by this horrific event. As its title suggests, the story unfolds around an iconic picture taken of a man falling from high up on the Trade Center building and the investigation by the photographer who took the picture to try and determine the identity of the falling man. With the twists and turns of a mystery tale, the story of the investigation is told with great humanity and artistry and impact. This film should be counted as a classic in its coverage of what really happened in peoples lives on that day. A day that will live forever in the minds of not just Americans but people everywhere.

Although it's difficult to watch, the film doesn't leave one feeling depressed. Instead, it enriches you with a deeply thoughtful look into the human spirit.

The questions posed are difficult: Was it brave or obscene to publish the Falling Man image? Should we be embarrassed that people chose to jump from the Twin Towers or were these people courageous individuals who seized control of their fate in the face of unspeakable options? Who, in fact, was the person in the Falling Man image?

None of these queries have easy answers, but the attempt to grapple with them is handled with insight and dignity.

9/11: The Falling Man (2006)

*** (out of 4)

Any documentary on 9/11 is going to be hard to watch because no matter how many times you see the images, you still can't quite believe it happened. It's still hard to believe that so many innocent people lost their lives to such a horrendous act. Throughout that day there were thousands of images shown all over the world where everyone saw the heartbreak. Over the upcoming weeks and months there were images shown to show how strong America was. There was one picture that was placed in a newspaper on 9/12/01 that seemed to upset people the most and it was a singular image of a man falling from the tower.

That image is the subject of this documentary that tries to identify the man who jumped out the window. The documentary talks about all the controversy that started because of that picture being printed and while watching this film you can't help but wonder if you should really be watching. There's a certain voyeurism nature to seeing someone in this state and the documentary covers both sides of the coin. There's also a strong discussion concerning one man believed to be the person in the image. We hear from his family and we learn how his family hoped it wasn't him due to their religious beliefs surrounding suicide. There are many fascinating topics brought up on the subject.

Again, no 9/11 documentary is easy to watch but this here is certainly one of the most disturbing because one has to put themselves in the falling man's place. I mean, select to burn to death or fall hundreds of stories? Not an easy thought and it doesn't make for an easy subject.