Film Forum

U.S., 2021
Directed by Lisa Katzman
Executive Produced by Eric Overmyer and Charles Burnett
Approx. 92 min.
 
Days after the 9/11 terrorist attack and collapse of the World Trade towers, EPA head Christine Todd Whitman declared that the air in New York City was safe—in spite of overwhelming sensory and scientific evidence to the contrary. 9/11’s UNSETTLED DUST examines the widespread dereliction of duty on the part of the EPA, and the Bush and Giuliani administrations for providing false assurances rather than protecting the public from environmental harms and their deadly health impacts. Several whistleblowers—including environmental attorney Joel Kupferman, journalist Juan Gonzalez, and EPA analyst Hugh Kaufman—reveal both the horrifically unprecedented extent of the toxins, and the political and economic motivations that kept those working at Ground Zero and the public in the dark; and the film follows John Feal, a former construction worker who lost a foot at Ground Zero, as he coalesces and leads a grassroots group of sick 9/11 responders, residents, and workers to call on members of Congress to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

9/11’s UNSETTLED DUST exposes the painful contradictions between the personal sacrifices made by the more than 50,000 men and women who toiled at Ground Zero to serve the common good and honor those who died, and the politicians and elected officials who for years praised 9/11 heroes for their patriotism yet denied both the personal cost these men and women paid for their heroism and their need for help.  

Film Forum presents this film on the 25th commemoration of the 9/11 attacks.

Reviews

“A remarkable documentary. Powerful and enraging. Every three minutes your jaw drops.”
– Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now

“Documents with a blunt and infuriating precision the long campaign of silence and deceit that betrayed our first responders. They deserved better.”
– David Simon (The Wire)

“Essential viewing.”
– Jeremy Strong (THE APPRENTICE, Succession)

“This important and powerful film shows that these heroic men and women not only lacked the proper protective equipment... but critical public health information that could have helped save their lives was intentionally kept secret by the government...9/11’s UNSETTLED DUST should be watched by every American citizen and especially government officials so that we truly ‘never forget’ our 9/11 heroes at home.”
– Lt. General Russel Honoré, 33rd Commanding General of the U.S. First Army & Founder of the Green Army

“If I wanted to show you the meaning of real human heroes and how a commitment to the common good leads some men and women beyond the call of duty, even if it causes the ultimate sacrifice, I would encourage you to watch and study Lisa Katzman’s  9/11’S UNSETTLED DUST. And if I wanted to show you what the chilling, tragic governmental betrayal of heroes and of basic human decency looks like, I would urge you and, in fact, everyone to see this documentary that says so much about that recent period of  American history, and this one too. It is an honor to be connected—as an executive producer—with this deeply important film.”
– Charles Burnett, Filmmaker, KILLER OF SHEEP, TO SLEEP WITH ANGER, ANNIHILATION OF FISH, MY BROTHER’S WEDDING (new 4K restoration opening at FF on September 18)