Parallel Lines

Filmmaker Nina Davenport is working in California the day the World Trade Center is destroyed. Trying to understand that she won't be able to see the familiar building from her apartment in New York anymore and afraid of getting on a plane, she sets off for a road trip that is therapy and art performance in one. She has six weeks to get back to New York, and she spends them driving through a country in shock and talking to people she meets along the way. All of them share a strange sadness - not only about the attacks - and a surprising willingness to open their hearts and lives to this young woman with a camera. And by taking us on a trip through her country, she ends up leading us into the very soul of it.

I just happened to change the channel to this. A shot of the open road caught my attention then Nina's story drew me in further. I only got to see about 20 minutes of it so I will be searching for it to get the whole picture. What I did see was stunning. The way she gets people to tell their story was amazing in itself. She seems very approachable. I bet I would have poured my heart out to her too. I really hope she continues to make movies and I will be searching for more of her work. I felt really bad when the police started questioning her. I know nerves were raw and even a single white female would arise suspicions but I felt bad for her. A must watch if you like a deep documentary.

PARALLEL LINES is a remarkable documentary. For me, the best documentaries are ones in which truths are uncovered as the film is being made which are a surprise to the film-maker and the audience simultaneously. In other words, a director starts out an examination in one particular way, and ends up with a whole range of unexpected conclusions. In this case, the director was looking for responses to the attack on 9/11, but what she got was jaw-dropping commentary and uncanny insight. The fact that these strangers were able to open up and allow the viewer to share their heart-felt beliefs was no less than astonishing. These were never the knee-jerk responses that one might have expected, but much more nuanced and interesting. At the end of the film, one realizes that human life is of value, and all of us, regardless of our social situation or political orientation, have hidden dreams and histories worthy of explanation. This is truly an 'overlooked' film, and is worth checking out.

I happened upon this film on television late one night (on a work

night!) and couldn't stop watching.

Amazing documentary by a fearless young woman who was crossing America in a car, trying to cope with the aftermath of her

feelings about 9-11.

The response she gets from the people she talks to along the way

is very enlightening - I was amazed at the diverse reactions she

taped.

Very emotional, very touching, one of the finer summaries of that

very emotional time in our lives.