7 Essential 9/11 Documentaries

Discover these documentary films full of personal stories to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, the world as we knew it changed forever. Al Qaeda terrorists had hijacked four US commercial planes to carry out suicide attacks on key US targets.

Two of them were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, New York, while the third hit the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. The fourth plane never reached its target, as passengers bravely wrestled with the hijackers, finally crashing into a field in Pennsylvania.

It was the deadliest terrorist attack in human history, resulting in almost 3,000 fatalities.

Since then, numerous documentaries have been made detailing the harrowing events, including a host of documentaries released this year to mark the 20th anniversary of that fateful day.

But why is it so important to continue reliving the darker episodes of our history, and what role can a documentary in particular play in their aftermath?

The role of the documentary

Documentaries are powerful mediums to inform and educate. They can act as a catalyst to spark meaningful conversations around controversial issues, even inspiring great and significant changes. They allow a window into another place and time, bringing us closer to events as they happened, and digging deep into the social and political landscape to expose truths we do not always wish to acknowledge.

While they may not always be entirely objective, a well-researched documentary can be a much more reliable source of information than many of the unfounded opinions and “alternative facts” we are fed on social media in our post-truth society.

Equally as important though, is that documentaries give a human face to events, allowing victims and survivors a voice to narrate their own experiences, and building a greater sense of empathy and compassion among their audiences.

From the tragedy of 9/11 sprang stories of bravery, sacrifice, and even hope. These voices must be heard so that 9/11 does not become simply a date in history, but one that lives on in our collective memory in a way that honors those who lost their lives and teaches us some valuable lessons.

Rebirth | James Whitaker | 2011

This documentary follows the lives of five people affected by the 9/11 attacks during the years following the event. It explores resilience and the recovery process.

Man in Red Bandana | Matthew J. Weiss | 2017

The documentary 'Man in Red Bandana', tells the story of Welles Crowther, a young man who lost his life while helping to rescue others in the Twin Towers.

Watch on Youtube,

9/11: Inside Air Force One | Ken Druckerman | 2021

A documentary examining the events of September 11 from the perspective of the President of the United States and his team aboard Air Force One.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Further suggestions

Generation 9/11, on PBS - stories from the children of the victims of 9/11 who had not yet been born at the time.

Escape From The Towers, on Amazon Prime - a harrowing look at the people who managed to escape from the World Trade Center.

9/11: Inside the President’s War Room, on Apple TV - documenting the 12 hours directly following the attacks through the eyes of George W. Bush.

Heroes of Ground Zero, on Amazon Prime - This moving documentary by director Katherine English, tells the story of the 343 New York Firefighters who died risking their lives to rescue victims of the attack. It also follows colleagues from two different fire stations as they come to terms with their great loss.

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