9/11 happened exactly 22 years ago. US director Spike Lee remembers the tragedy at the Toronto Film Festival.
The terrorist attacks on the Word Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington DC took place for the 22nd time on September 11th. As part of the Toronto Film Festival, US director and New Yorker Spike Lee, 66, used a panel discussion to talk about the meaning of the attack on his hometown: “The world has changed from that day on,” the “Do The Right Thing” maker quoted by US industry website “The Hollywood Reporter”..
Like every other person who was alive at that time, he can still remember exactly where he was at the time of the tragedy that occurred “in the greatest city in the world.” He was in Los Angeles, on the other side of the country, pitching a film when he heard about the terrorist act. He immediately tried to go home – but due to the circumstances, there were no more planes flying and so he had to take the train back to his family instead. September 11, 2001 was a Tuesday – he wasn’t finally back with his loved ones until the following Friday.
Prize for his life’s work
Lee also addressed 9/11 in his four-part HBO documentary “NYC Epicenters 9/11 – 2021”, which premiered in 2021. In addition to the terrorist attacks 22 years ago, it also describes, among other things, the effects of the corona pandemic from a New York perspective. He now also screened parts of the documentary at the Toronto Film Festival, where he received an award for his life’s work last Sunday (September 10th).
The most important films by the director, screenwriter and producer, who received his first Oscar in 2019, include “Malcolm X”, “25 Hours”, “Da 5 Bloods” and “BlacKkKlansman”, to name just a few.
