Nbacher What might seem like a mere stunt, having eleven movie makers from around the world each film a nine-minute segment/story connected in some way to 9/11 has turned into a brilliant prism through which to see various views of this event. By turns horrific, sad, strange, even charming and funny, the finished product proves that the event inspired these filmmakers to come up with some of their best work. Films that present a common theme tackled by multiple directors can often be hit-or-miss, but this film of that genre is pretty much all hit. A diverse collection of short films, ranging from the overtly political, to the meditative, to the allegorical, to the simply personal. Mostly non-American directors and actors thoughtfully and sensitively render all of them. Collectively the film captures the importance of 9-11 as a tragedy for the entire world, not a single country. It often reflects on how the event entered the lives of ordinary people living ordinary lives in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Other times it showed how the tragedy elicited sympathy for the US from people that were otherwise angry and bitter to the US for past injustices. I was surprised and delighted by the entire film. Made right after the attacks, they resemble moods ranging from fanciful to personal to abstract, accented both by the filmmakers' skill and approach and by their nationality, giving each an immediacy and an expansive perspective that may be eye-opening to Americans who see this watershed event only as a domestic phenomenon. I found it very interesting to see different world views and thoughts on this day of infamy. I think this film would be interesting viewing for any group of people. It's a great way to a get a conversation going about thoughts of what 9-11 means today and I think that it's a pretty interesting perspective on the artistic role this historic event will play. I would recommend this film to people who are interested in those kinds of conversations and to people who still like short films.

NeoTopiltzin First than anything, I'm not going to praise Iñarritu's short film, even I'm Mexican and proud of his success in mainstream Hollywood.In another hand, I see most of the reviews focuses on their favorite (and not so) short films; but we are forgetting that there is a subtle bottom line that circles the whole compilation, and maybe it will not be so pleasant for American people. (Even if that was not the main purpose of the producers) What i'm talking about is that most of the short films does not show the suffering that WASP people went through because the terrorist attack on September 11th, but the suffering of the Other people.Do you need proofs about what i'm saying? Look, in the Bosnia short film, the message is: "You cry because of the people who died in the Towers, but we (The Others = East Europeans) are crying long ago for the crimes committed against our women and nobody pay attention to us like the whole world has done to you".Even though the Burkina Fasso story is more in comedy, there is a the same thought: "You are angry because Osama Bin Laden punched you in an evil way, but we (The Others = Africans) should be more angry, because our people is dying of hunger, poverty and AIDS long time ago, and nobody pay attention to us like the whole world has done to you".Look now at the Sean Penn short: The fall of the Twin Towers makes happy to a lonely (and alienated) man. So the message is that the Power and the Greed (symbolized by the Towers) must fall for letting the people see the sun rise and the flowers blossom? It is remarkable that this terrible bottom line has been proposed by an American. There is so much irony in this short film that it is close to be subversive.Well, the Ken Loach (very know because his anti-capitalism ideology) is much more clearly and shameless in going straight to the point: "You are angry because your country has been attacked by evil forces, but we (The Others = Latin Americans) suffered at a similar date something worst, and nobody remembers our grief as the whole world has done to you".It is like if the creative of this project wanted to say to Americans: "You see now, America? You are not the only that have become victim of the world violence, you are not alone in your pain and by the way, we (the Others = the Non Americans) have been suffering a lot more than you from long time ago; so, we are in solidarity with you in your pain... and by the way, we are sorry because you have had some taste of your own medicine" Only the Mexican and the French short films showed some compassion and sympathy for American people; the others are like a slap on the face for the American State, that is not equal to American People.

pinkpab A great idea: 11 stories about 11 September. 11 directors from different countries with different results. Ken Loach talking about an immigrant (as usual) is just brilliant (as usual). The Frenchman does a very good job also, while the Burkina Faso film was a nice surprise. However, the Israel film was a bit boring, and the Mexican guy, well, he should quit directing and work in a Mexican restaurant. 8/10

clehl Take one of the most culturally and globally defining events, give 11 directors the opportunity to make a film interpretation of the event, and you have 11'09"01 September 11. After seeing the film once, I am ready to see it again. Each short is incredible...they each interpret the horrific events of 9/11 uniquely. Each short, from the very first one from Iran to the Japanese short caused me to think about that day in a new light. It is brilliantly done, as each piece is separated by an introduction of the director and country, and each piece really stands alone. The shorts really send the viewer on a roller coaster, from the almost comical short of five African boys' search for Osama bin Laden in their hometown, to the intense short from the Mexican director using predominately the sounds of 9/11. I, who rarely is touched emotionally and spiritually by films, felt the impact of these films not only in my head, but in my heart and soul. This film is extremely intense: some of the ideas depicted are very controversial, and some of the sights and images are somewhat graphic, but I recommend this film to anyone, it is a spectacular documentary of the world today, not just a tribute to 9/11.