This September will mark the 20th anniversary of arguably the worst attack on American soil in the country’s history, the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. You could argue this event catalyzed many of the sociopolitical changes that have taken place since, forcing the United States to act quickly in the face of the enemy, and set the country on a very different path than it would have taken otherwise. The impact upon New York City specifically however has been profound, forcing the citizens of the country’s most populous city to rethink their everyday lives at the flip of a switch. Now legendary New Yorker and Director Spike Lee will be examining that impact in a new four-part documentary series for HBO titled NYC EPICENTERS 9/11➔2021½.
A lot happens in Manhattan on any given day of the year, both good and bad. 9/11 is a prime example of the latter, however in the two decades since then plenty has happened in The Big Apple. Along with first responders from the day of 9/11, Lee taps individuals like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, CNN personality Van Jones, actor Steve Buscemi and countless others to share their experience of life in New York City since that fateful day. Lee serves as director and producer of the project, with Jason Sokoloff signed on as co-producer and Alex Gough as editor. NYC EPICENTERS 9/11➔2021½ will debut on HBO August 22nd at 8 PM, and will be available for streaming on HBO Max.
Few events, if any, have rocked America in the way that the events of 9/11 did. The closest thing that comes to mind is the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, but 9/11 took aim at everyday Americans and not just the military. Its impacts are still being felt to this day, and Lee’s upcoming documentary should hopefully shed some more light on those impacts as individuals continue to deal with the repercussions of 9/11. You can watch NYC EPICENTERS 9/11➔2021½ on HBO or HBO Max later this month
