9/11: The Falling Man

From all the images of 9/11, I find this the most disturbing. I touches that personal choice of dying. Will I die from the fire or jump to my death. Yet there's freedom in this picture. Acceptance of inevitable death. Whatever it is to you, this is just one of the many people who jumped to their death. The documentary not only focuses on the backstory of The Falling Man but also the dwells specific to the people trapped in the upper floors of the WTC, who can't evacuate. It's a heartbreaking docu that everyone should watch.

Going into this, I was worried it might be sensationalism of an incredibly tragic day and the fateful decision of many of those trapped.

It wasn't. The story is told with sensitivity and class.

Fair warning that the first few minutes are gut wrenching as it briefly recounts the events of that terrible day, including those who decided to jump rather than burn or suffocate.

I find it odd that some people judge the jumper because of our prehistoric views on suicide. I do not. They were in an impossible situation. Who are you or I or even a god to question that final decision by them? Indeed, I think it says a lot about them that they made that fateful decision, the last thing that they could decide for themselves in their lives.

It's also comforting to know that identifying some of them brought closure to some of the grieving families and loved ones.

Really well done.

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.

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.

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.