TDF
Perhaps no single event has set off more conspiracy mania than the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001. Truther or: I Am Not a Conspiracy Theorist explores this movement by profiling some of the central figures who have successfully spread their doubts and theories throughout the globe.
The film opens at Ground Zero, where conspiracy activists continue to preach their views to the masses to this day. “9/11 is a lie,” says one truther who stands near the site. The camera witnesses several volatile confrontations truthers and deeply offended passersby.
The consensus behind the movement is that the government has shrouded the true events of that horrific day. They question every detail – from the terrorist’s hijacking of airplanes to the aftermath of their impact onto the towers. Many truthers believe that the destruction was part of an “inside job” and likely involved the detonation of controlled explosions, particularly as it pertains to Building 7 which stood nearby the two World Trade Center towers.
The mania surrounding these theories were largely inspired and inflamed by the controversial 2005 documentary Loose Change. The film features a centerpiece interview with that film’s director Eric Wong. He speaks of the formative experiences that shaped his world view. His struggling mother felt shafted by the government during the big bank housing scandal. His first notions of becoming a filmmaker were inspired by the anti-authoritarian cult hit Fight Club. He rejects the idea that he deals in damaging conspiracy.
The film also features conversations with members of Architects & Engineers of 9/11 Truth, a non-profit organization dedicated to challenging the accepted narrative of the attacks. The mainstream media is often the focus of their crusade.
As evidenced throughout the film, these truthers proclaim their observations are founded in science as they question the probability of melting steel or buildings in freefall.
The film is likely to anger many viewers who don’t concur with the theory of a grand cover-up. Beyond the occasional detractor on the street, there are no dissenting viewpoints offered in the film. Instead, it takes a deep dive into the world of the truthers and allows their perspectives to dominate.
