WHEN EVERYTHING WAS BLUE

Director Statement

On September 11, 2001 I was in my 3rd grade classroom, unaware of how profoundly that day would shape the world and people around me. As my classmates buzzed with their usual morning energy, I found myself the only student paying attention to the unusual tension among my teachers. Their energy was distinctly off, marked by hushed, urgent whispers about a plane striking the World Trade Center. Confused and concerned, I remember asking them if we were close enough for the building to fall on us. In the days and years that followed, I witnessed my mother, a social worker, aid families shattered by the events of 9/11. Her dedication to healing others ignited my own passion for storytelling, leading me to filmmaking as my medium for helping and healing.

With this film I seek to bridge the gap between past and present, between statistics and the human heart. It is a narrative born from the staggering reality that more people have succumbed to 9/11-related illnesses than those who perished during the attacks.

The film unfolds through the raw, unfiltered gaze of a home video camera, capturing the real essence of a family’s life. This stylistic choice reflects my belief that the most authentic stories emerge when we are our truest selves – goofy, vulnerable, loving, and unguarded. This approach allows the audience to experience each character’s journey in its most genuine form, stripped of artifice, showcasing the raw and real mosaic of their everyday experiences.

As a director, my approach to this story is rooted in the complexity of life – the understanding that nothing is merely good or bad, but rather a tapestry of both. When Everything Was Blue aims to capture this duality, showcasing how moments of happiness and heartache can coexist and also define our existence. To me, this film is a tribute to those who continue to bear the scars of 9/11, a reminder that their stories, their struggles, and their strength remain an essential part of our collective memory and ongoing healing.