Memories of 9/11 at Majestic

Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone's ‘World Trade Center’, focuses on the true story of two Port Authority police officers rescued from the destroyed World Trade Center 9/11 in New York is now being screened at the Majestic Cinema, Colombo.

After the Twin Towers fell on September 11, 2001 only 20 people were pulled out from the rubble alive. Port Authority Police Sergeant John McLoughlin and Officer Will Jimeno were numbers 18 and 19. ‘World Trade Center’ is their story, told through the eyes of Jimeno, McLoughlin and their families.

On that fatal day, American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked in mid-flight and intentionally crashed into the North Tower of New York City's World Trade Center. McLoughlin and Jimeno were among the first on the scene. With a small group of others, they were under the concourse between towers 1 and 2 preparing for the rescue operation. They were trapped there in the collapse of the second tower. The film documents the rescue efforts initiated by Marines David W. Karnes (played by Michael Shannon) and Jason Thomas (played by William R. Mapother) to find the men after the towers crashed.

Sgt. John McLoughlin said, "Sgt. John McLoughlin, one of the two trapped officers, said, "I feel someone had to tell the story of the people who were in the Trade Center before and after it collapsed. It needs to be told how this horrific tragedy brought Americans and the world together to help those in need. The people involved in putting this movie together are truly making an extraordinary attempt to tell those stories and the stories of those who are no longer with us."

William J. Jimeno, Ret. Port Authority Police Detective, added, "As a survivor of 9/11, I want people never to forget those that died from my department, the Port Authority Police of NY/NJ, and those from my fellow departments, the NYPD and FDNY, as well as all of the EMTs and civilians in NYC, in Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon. I know that with the talented cast of people that have been brought together by Double Feature Films to bring this film project to life, they will never be forgotten. It will also be a tribute to all those that gave everything they had to bring people home to their loved ones. This film is also a testament to the good that we as human beings are capable of. I have all the confidence in the world that with such a great script that was written by Andrea Berloff and having one of the world's greatest directors, Oliver Stone, who has served his country and knows the price of freedom, this film will be one that will live on for generations to come, not only in America but the world.

Originally released on August 9, the movie has made an estimated $67,152,063 in the U.S. and Canada as of September 10th, 2006.

The director Oliver Stone said, ‘Andrea Berloff's screenplay is one of the best that's ever come to me out of the blue - I guess like that day. It walloped me -- and many others -- with its emotion and simplicity. Clearly, it's a work of collective passion, a serious meditation on what happened, and carries within a compassion that heals. It's an exploration of heroism in our country -- but is international at the same time in its humanity’.

The cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello, Stephen Dorff, Jay Hernandez and Michael Shannon. Musical score by Craig Armstrong, 'World Trade Center' is a Paramount Picture production.

The CEL release is screened at Majestic, the Dolby Digital cinema at 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.15 pm and at 7.00 pm.