9/11: Press for Truth
| Company type | Documentary film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | Ray Nowosielski, John Duffy |
| Products | Documentary film |
9/11: Press for Truth (also referred to as Press for Truth) is a 2006 documentary film directed by Ray Nowosielski, which draws partly on Paul Thompson's work The Terror Timeline. The documentary investigates the events of the September 11 attacks along with the government's reaction afterward.
Development and release
The project was initiated by filmmakers Ray Nowosielski and John Duffy after they came across Paul Thompson's Complete 911 Timeline website in 2003. Following funding acquisition, they partnered with Thompson in 2004 to transform his research into a film format.
Kyle Hence, who co-founded 9/11 Citizens Watch, joined the team as executive producer and later took on roles as co-producer and co-writer. In 2005, he played a key role in arranging interviews with three of the "Jersey Girls"—widows of individuals who lost their lives in the attacks.
Filming wrapped up by December 2005, with post-production completed in July 2006. The documentary debuted in theaters during September 2006 in New York City and the San Francisco Bay region, alongside a limited DVD distribution spanning more than fifty cities across North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan.
Summary
9/11: Press for Truth centers on three Jersey Girls and other family members as they pursue answers regarding the attacks. It addresses critical inquiries such as:
- What led to the failure of U.S. military defenses to intercept the hijacked airplanes?
- Why was there a lag in response from President Bush and his secret service team?
- What were the causes behind the buildings’ collapse?
- How did U.S. intelligence overlook terrorists fleeing from Afghanistan to Pakistan during active conflict?
- Why was Pakistan regarded as an ally despite accusations that its intelligence agency supported terrorism?
The film employs archival footage, interviews, and press sources, organized into three main sections:
The opening section covers attempts to form the 9/11 Commission, highlighting obstacles such as Henry Kissinger’s resignation as chairman amid transparency disputes. It critiques actions taken by the George W. Bush administration, including limiting access to classified documents and holding confidential meetings with Commission members. The Jersey Girls voice their dissatisfaction with the Commission’s final findings.
The second section focuses on perceived failures within the media and presents Paul Thompson’s assertions that U.S. officials disregarded several warnings about impending attacks, notably referencing the August 6, 2001 President's Daily Brief titled "Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US."
The concluding section explores the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan, detailing how Osama bin Laden and prominent Al-Qaeda operatives escaped capture by relocating to Pakistan. It also reviews historical U.S. support for Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War and discusses Indian allegations that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) funded the hijackers—an investigative topic criticized as overlooked by the 9/11 Commission. The documentary ends by reflecting on deficiencies in U.S. news media coverage.
Reception
The documentary was reviewed by multiple news organizations including New Zealand’s Scoop.co.nz, The New American, The Stanford Daily, Santa Maria Sun, The Hartford Courant, Slant Magazine, The Indianapolis Star, NUVO, The Albuquerque Tribune, Poland’s Przekrój, and DVD Talk. These critiques helped broaden the film’s exposure across various regions.
Following this project, Nowosielski and Duffy produced another documentary titled Who is Rich Blee, which exposed several CIA operatives active within the Bin Laden Issue Station before 2001. Prior to its release, the CIA threatened legal action under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act. Although names were redacted for publication, a webmaster error inadvertently led to some emails revealing these identities being posted online.