Interview with Sean Penn about the 11’ 09” 01 - SEPTEMBER 11 project

- On the evening of September 10 2001, I spent time with some friends in my hotel room in Los Angeles from about 11:00 at night until about 4:00 in the morning of September 11th in what became, ironically, a fairly long and passionate discussion of the threat of international terrorism. The following morning I was more unconscious than asleep when I got a call from a friend who had had a more civil evening than I had. I was told to turn on the television. I hung up without listening and went back to sleep. At 10:00 that morning, I rushed over to Warner Bros. studios for a morning rehearsal. I was running a little late so I focused on the road ahead of me without turning on the radio. I got to the gate of the studio where I was asked my business there. I told them I would be rehearsing on Stage 11. They said, 'not today you won’t' and turned me around at the gate without further explanation. As I wheeled the car back toward my hotel, I turned on the radio and heard the devastating news. By this point, both towers were down, the Pentagon had been hit, and Flight 93 had crashed in Pennsylvania. I went back to my hotel, turned on the television and began to digest this horrible day. - When I was given the opportunity to close my eyes and dream an idea, a thought, or a poem in reaction to this day by making a film for this series, I thought what a wonderful chance to explore my own reaction; an opportunity I would wish for all people. Prior to the making of this film, it had struck me on many occasions, that as artists, we have an obligation at the best of times to consider the present state of the world we live in; its needs creatively and in all ways from our work. After September 11th I cancelled a feature film I was about to make that in context, was not relevant or had at least not been provoked by this new state of things. I wanted to take a deep breath and try to begin to understand what our new obligation would be. - The events of that day, tragic as they were, seemed to have been overwhelmingly co-opted by the masses and the media and somewhere inside all of us, I think, is not only the recognition of the losses and impact of those horrifying events but also of the mother who lost a son to a drunk driver on that day, to an overdose, a daughter to a murder, a father to an illness, etc. Loss comes every day and pain follows it. The question has always been how to be at peace with today and believe tomorrow can be better.

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