FDNY ‘Brotherhood’

>Archive - PWW Print Edition Archive - 2004 Editions - Apr 17, 2004


 

Film review

NEW YORK – @radical.media’s feature documentary, “Brotherhood,” directed by Lilibet Foster, a cinema verite-style immersion into the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), will premiere May 3 at the Tribeca Film Festival here.

The premiere will take place 7:30 p.m. at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in lower Manhattan with New York City firefighters along with the cast and filmmakers in attendance. This premiere will mark the firefighters return, en masse, to lower Manhattan to be honored and celebrated for their heroism, selflessness and inspiration, which the film portrays.

“Brotherhood” focuses on Squad 252 in Brooklyn, the prestigious Rescue Company 1 of Manhattan and Rescue Company 4 of Queens. From an insider’s point of view, the film vividly captures the men’s individual personalities, their teamwork, camaraderie and commitment to training and uncompromised respect for fire.

As the men grapple to rebuild their companies after the 9/11 disaster, the film shows individual firefighters struggling with survivor’s guilt on top of radical departmental changes, as waves of experienced firefighters begin to retire, and the city budget cuts threaten to close various fire houses. As one firefighter poignantly puts it, “The reality of being a firefighter has changed ... the world changed for us because it changed for everyone.”

@radical.media’s feature documentary credits include “Fog of War,” directed by Errol Morris, which won this year’s Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary as well as the 2004 Independent Spirit award for Best Documentary from the Independent Film Project. The company also produced “Concert for George,” a documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes of the tribute concert for George Harrison at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

The 2004 festival will take place in various locations throughout lower Manhattan May 1-May 9. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Tribeca Film Festival website at www.tribecafilmfestival.org or call (866) 941-FEST (3378).