COLLATERAL DAMAGES (DVD) - FIREFIGHTER STORIES OF 9/11 

COLLATERAL DAMAGES (DVD) - FIREFIGHTER STORIES OF 9/11

Product Code: ISIS-COLL Price: Check Latest COLLATERAL DAMAGES (DVD) "The stories are unforgettably strong, but so are the storytellers" ... "Rigorously unsentimental recollections" ... "Casts a different light on the trauma of 9-11 and on its devastating aftermath". FILM SYNOPSIS: Over a one-year period, director Etienne Sauret stood beside one of the city's most respected firefighters, shooting footage of their changed lives as they reflect on the day New York City went silent. Self-examination is an ongoing process for these men who are lost in the ever-present yesterday. 9/11 changed many lives, especially for firefighters at FDNY Engine 6, Rescue 2 and Engine 285. It is in this feature documentary where firefighters including Al Sicignano, Billy Green and Philip Ruvolo, share disturbing images in their search for survivors. Encouraged to share both their physical and emotional journey, it's apparent each individual deals with the same experience in their own way and time. They continue to confront their personal issues but with an extremely altered perspective. Forced back to work, feelings of helplessness and images of fallen firefighters and victims continue to haunt them. SPECIAL FEATURES: Over 2 hours - Engine 6: The Last Ride: From Fresh Kills to the NY State Museum. Engine 6 was one of the first responding units to the North Tower. Mark Schaming, Director of Exhibitions at the NY State Museum, describes how the engine was added to the museum's World Trade Center collection. - Rescue 2: New Beginnings: Jon Stevens, Doug Suimour, and Carl Dewire discuss the construction of new rigs at the Saulsbury Fire Apparatus in Preble, NY. Rick Cozzolino and Lennox Wilkes of the FDNY Fleet Services in Queens, NY explain the inspection process to ensure safety and efficiency. - Freshkills: Behind the Scenes: Mark Schaming, touches on some of the artifacts taken from Ground Zero and transported to Fresh Kills, the historical crime scene no one knew about. - Loss: Six NYC firehouses and the legacy of fallen members; the prequel to "Collateral Damages". - Billy Green 9/11: Billy Green on his arrival to the scene to his survival. - 5 years later: Features Al Sicignano, Billy Green, and Captain Phil Ruvolo. - Rescue 2: Dismantling: The Rescue 2 rig is dismantled in close to real time. Its parts were then either discarded or recycled. DVD DESCRIPTION: Documentary: "Collateral Damages" (60 minute run time) Special Features - over 2 hour run time Total DVD run time over 3 hours Release date: September 5, 2006 * A portion of the proceeds to be donated to FDNY Engine 6 Memorial Fund and the Rescue 2 Family Fund RECOGNITION / REVIEWS: - Silverdocs Special Jury Award - INFACT Documentary Showcase (Official Selection) - International Human Rights Film Festival (Official Selection) "INTIMATE, HEARTBREAKING" - Stephen Holden, NEW YORK TIMES "POWERFUL" - Lou Lumenick, NEW YORK POST "JUST SHATTERING" - Andrew Johnston, TIME OUT NEW YORK "THOUGHTFUL, RESTRAINED" - Ronnie Scheib, VARIETY ABOUT RESCUE 2: Rescue 2 attracts and retains a certain type of firefighter. It has to, because it is the TEAM firefighters call when the situation gets dire. Captain Ruvolo, a third generation firefighter, leads these men. Ruvolo never met his grandfather, who died from injuries sustained in a fire in 1938. His father, uncles, and cousins were all firefighters and it was the only thing talked about over the kitchen table. “As a child, I saw the positive side of the Fire Department; saving lives and the vision of glory”. He became a firefighter in 1978. The years he actually performed the job showed him another side... “every time we go out the door, it’s somebody’s tragedy”. A fate he wouldn’t even want his children exposed to. In 1998, he became the Captain of the elite Rescue 2. Ruvolo asserts, “I don’t take young guys. The youngest has nine years on the job, [he is] not an empty blackboard. If you don’t like it, go someplace else”. Ruvolo admits that he and his men are not of the social nature and when they show up on the scene it is not casual. “We’ll do anything we can and pay the price to make sure we save you. We’re not here to make friends [or] chitchat. Some might interpret that intensity as elitism. It’s not”. Other companies might not understand the rigid structure of a team like Ruvolo’s, but he makes it clear that “when you come here, you learn the Rescue 2 way. And that’s how it’s done. That’s all”. Ruvolo accredits this “strictly business culture” and its cultivation for his survival and that of Rescue 2. “Throughout the history of Rescue 2, the roster has changed a few times. From those in the 1940’s and before, to those that were in the company on September 11th and after. The individuals change but the persona of the company remains the same. Still, the shadow of 9-11 still lingers in the firehouse”. It lingers for Ruvolo, saying "the psychological stuff, that’s beyond what I can put into words. As far as health issues, I don’t honestly know if anyone could tell you what’s down the road for us”. Yet Ruvolo says with a laugh, “Today I feel fine. I hope I feel fine tomorrow”. Prior to 9-11, experiencing carnage firsthand prepared Ruvolo to cope. It’s a defense mechanism, a protective shield like the emblem on his helmet. “You’re dealing with the remains of an individual. You remember what they were to avoid thinking about [what] they became in front of you”. Firefighters here do not turn to discussion or mediation groups for coping. “No one taught me. I can honestly say that I’ve never heard that discussion [psychological fallout] in the kitchen or in the Fire Department before 9-11. You either dealt with it or you can’t. Personally, I’ve never discussed it with anybody other than right now”. Now post-9-11, Ruvolo’s feelings about firefighting haven’t changed, but have evolved to a more profound understanding. “ The change in the job is perhaps a loss of innocence. You don’t go through such trauma to participate in an act of that magnitude and not have lingering effects. Twenty years ago, I only had to worry about getting killed in a fire. Now, who the hell knows? There’ a lot more things to kill you. I’ll keep doing what I do”. NOTE: All DVD's are non-refundable.