By Ray Pride Pride@moviecitynews.com
United 93 opens the Tribeca Film Festival
Touchy topic: “The Tribeca Film Festival and Universal Pictures today announced that United 93, the feature film which chronicles the unfolding drama of the hijacked September 11 flight that crashed outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania, will have its world premiere [April 25] as the Opening Night film of the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival.“The events of 9/11 had a massive effect on me, like everyone, and I wanted to use my position as a filmmaker to contribute something so they are not casually forgotten,” stated [director Paul] Greengrass. “United 93 tells one story of that morning and I hope that by showing the film at Tribeca, whose roots and inspiration grew in response to the devastation of 9/11, we will be reminded of the courage of all those on board and also the thousands of men and women who confronted similarly unimaginable scenarios in New York and Washington. By honoring the families who lost those they loved, I hope we can ensure that their sacrifice is remembered and hopefully seek wisdom in the future.” At SFGate, Mark Morford digests the 9/11 conspiracy theories cover story from the March 27 issue of New York. UPDATE: Cinematical’s Martha Fischer reports the fest has more taste than Greengrass. The debut will be private, “open only to the families of victims, first responders, and festival staff. Press will be accommodated in an overflow room, but will not be allowed into the actual theater” and because Tribeca is home to Ground Zero, “negotiations are currently underway to hold it at a landmark theater in midtown Manhattan.” Paging Flo Ziegfeld…]