Join us at the Revue Cinema on Saturday, Sept. 11, 1 p.m. for a screening of 9/11 Kids, an 88-minute documentary that explores what happened to those kids in the reading class where George Bush learned about the Twin Towers calamity 20 years ago to the day.
The film is directed by Elizabeth St. Philip, who is on Back Lane Studios’ board of directors, and produced by Steve Gamester. Elizabeth and associate producer Hanna Jovin will attend the screening to introduce the doc and answer your questions. The film is compelling and moving, an eyeopener for understanding what it’s like growing up Black or Latino in Sarasota, Florida, and in America.
Book tickets on Eventbrite: $10 for seniors and Revue members; $13 general (plus Eventbrite fee). The Revue, following Covid protocols, is restricted to 50% occupancy, and tickets have reserved seating.
For the children in the Florida classroom, the presidential visit was unforgettable: the army of TV cameras and security when George Bush arrived, the whisper in his ear informing him of the calamity, the dramatic change in his demeanor and the consequences that continue to this day.
What impact did that momentous event in New York City have on those children over the years? That was the story the filmmaking team set out to explore, but that’s not the narrative they ended up with. As producer Steve Gamester put it in a CBC article: “The truth is, none of the 9/11 kids had much to say about the legacy of that day… I tracked them down to talk about 9/11 and then watched in amazement as the story went elsewhere.”
Six of those students who were reading “The Pet Goat” for Bush agreed to take part in the documentary. Their stories are engrossing. Their drive and resilience are remarkable, especially for some facing crushing challenges.
You will also be impressed by the remarkable teacher of those kids, Kay Daniels. Her dynamism and warmth leaves you with a sense of optimism!
It’s an engrossing film. And this is the first theatrical screening in Toronto. Don’t miss it and the opportunity to meet the filmmakers!
Watch the trailer.
9/11 Kids Awards: The documentary screened at the 2020 Hot Docs virtual film festival, winning a $10,000 Rogers Audience Award (the filmmakers donated the prize to Emma E. Booker Elementary School). The doc was also nominated for three 2021 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Direction for a Documentary Program and won the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary.
Elizabeth’s Bio: Elizabeth St. Philip is an award-winning director and senior producer at CTV where she covers a host of stories for the national newscast and the investigative show W5.
Elizabeth wrote and directed two documentaries for the National Film Board of Canada which aired on CBC, the Documentary Channel and Discovery Times in the United States. The NFB film, Breakin’ In: The Making of a Hip Hop Dancer, premiered at the Hot Docs film festival and was nominated for a Golden Sheaf Award at the Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival. Elizabeth’s work has won or been nominated for more than 20 awards from the Canadian Association of Journalists, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and the Radio Television Digital News Association. In 2016 she was inducted as a Role Model at the Black Canadian Women Awards.