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9/11 film hotly debated at Toronto
Commemorating September 11 on screen turns controversial
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Arthur J Pais
The unusual film meant to commemorate the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington has already become controversial, days before its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The film, 11'09"01, which comprises 11 separate segments from directors including Mira Nair, from 11 countries, contains some segments that are stridently critical of America. These segments, especially from filmmakers in England, Egypt and Iran, talk of another kind of terror --- the bloodshed created by American policy abroad.
The September 11 film, which has not found a distributor yet in America, was commissioned by Studio Canal, aligned with Universal Pictures' parent company, Vivendi, a French multinational.
The 11 filmmakers include the Oscar-nominated actor Sean Penn (Dead Man Walking, I Am Sam), who has directed three feature films. Penn openly supports leftist causes, including demonstrations and picketing against globalisation.
Studio Canal had promised complete freedom in the choice of the subject and visualising their films to filmmakers. The promise has, apparently, been honoured.
The segment drawing great attention is directed by 76-year-old Egyptian Youssef Chahine, whose films have been seen at many international film festivals, including the ones held in India.
"I don't think many Americans will be happy with my work," he said in interviews with the media. Chahine says he has a "disturbed relationship" with America. As a man of principles --- and as an Arab (but not a Muslim) --- he cannot tolerate Washington's policy in the Middle East.
His film is vastly different from the segment Nair has made.
Nair's film focuses on the true story of a Pakistani who risked his life to help people at WTC and whose 'absence' led the authorities to suspect he might be working with the terrorists. Chahines film, on the other hand, looks at Palestinians victimised by Israel --- and by the extension of his logic by America.
America and Israel are democracies, and hence it is legitimate to attack their people for the wrongs America has perpetrated across the world, says a character in Chahine's segment.
British leftwing director Ken Loach, who in his documentaries and feature films has not only attacked Margaret Thatcher's England, but also the Labour government, focuses on the tumultuous events nearly two decades ago in Chile. American support to the rightwing segment of Chilean Army led to the overthrow of the elected socialist president Salvador Allende in 1973. To Loach, the events in Chile represent a face of terrorism.
Iranian filmmaker Samira Makhmalbaf focuses on young children in his country who are afraid America will bomb their country.
11'09"01 opens in several countries in Europe next month. Chahine, who says he made his film with 'deep honest feelings', might yet have a surprise. Several independent art movie distributors in America have shown interest in acquiring the film.
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