Generation 9/11, Arrow Pictures' unique look at the impact of the 9/11 tragedy on its 20th anniversary, is to receive its US premiere on Tuesday, August 31 on PBS.
An estimated 108 children were in their mother’s womb when they lost their fathers in the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. Two decades later, these children are coming of age. On the 20th anniversary of the events, Generation 9/11 focuses on the stories of seven children whose fathers died that day, and reveals how an entire generation was shaped by the tragedy and its aftermath. Born at the dawn of the 21st century, they landed in a world where the 9/11 attacks initially drew the nation together. But by the time they entered high school, America was more divided than ever. Now entering adulthood, they carry a new sense of responsibility. A 3-way commission by PBS, ARTE France and Channel 4, this two-hour film combines new footage, family photos and home archives. The film documents what happened to this unique group and their families in the 20 years following al-Qaeda’s attacks. Weaving together shared chapters in the children’s lives—first days of school, 9/11 anniversaries, discovering how their fathers died and more—the film also provides a lens through which to look at the broader world during the last two tumultuous decades.
“Our research team spent months identifying all the individual stories,” said John Smithson, Creative Director for Arrow Pictures. “From there, we focused down on a small cross-section of children whose fathers died on that fateful day, people from all sorts of diverse backgrounds across America and the world beyond to unveil the hidden cost of the tragedy.”
“The world, not just America, was forever changed as a result of 9/11 and its aftermath, and we wanted to explore that ongoing global impact in a direct, personal way,” said Bill Gardner, Vice President, Programming and Development, PBS. “These young people and their families have been shaped by 9/11 in a variety of intimate ways, and their openness to sharing their lives allows us to thoughtfully explore the nuances of the 20 eventful years since that terrible day.”
GENERATION 9/11 will stream simultaneously with broadcast and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video app, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV and Chromecast.
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online.