Warner Brothers Hosts Private Family Screenings of “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
As part of the partnership between Warner Bros. Pictures and Tuesday’s Children, and in conjunction with the release of the Academy Award -nominated film Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Warner Bros. Pictures and the film’s director, Stephen Daldry, arranged a benefit screening for donors and friends of Tuesday’s Children. The January 18th pre-release screening included a cocktail reception with VIP guests and thoughtful opening remarks from the film’s Max Von Sydow.
Most importantly, however, and through the generosity of Warner Bros. and Daldry, Tuesday’s Children was able to provide private screenings of the film for our 9/11 families. The storyline of the movie follows the story of a young boy who lost his father on 9/11 and his journey to deal with his grief and loss. Close to 200 family members attended these private movie screenings. which afforded them the opportunity to support each other. Prior to the screening, Tuesday’s Children advised family members that the film might evoke a wide range of emotions and relive past issues. Fran Furman, Director of Counseling, spoke with parents bringing children to view the movie to ensure that parents had a good understanding of the film’s impact and images. Ms Furman, as well as other mental health professionals was present at the screenings to provide support and families were offered the opportunity to share their thoughts and reactions to the film after the screening. The majority of families felt positively about being able to view the movie with other 9/11 family members in a private, safe space in which they could support each other.
Families expressed a hope that the movie would bring greater awareness to the community at large about the hardships and difficulties they had to face in the months and years following 9/11 and the impact it continues to have on their lives.