Brotherhood

World Premiere

USA | 84 MINUTES | English |

BROTHERHOOD

Everyone knows about the heroism of New York City's firefighters on September 11. We read about and saw video of them going into the towers and fighting their way up the stairs when everyone else was fighting their way down. These are men who daily put themselves in harm's way for the people of New York City. Lilibet Foster's documentary goes behind the scenes at firehouses and at fires and rescues to see what makes these men tick. The film follows fire companies in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens through their day-to-day tasks, rescues, and drills. The men learn to "read" fire -- its smell, its sound, its sight. But being a firefighter has become much more complicated in recent years. New York's Bravest are now trained to respond to situations in which biohazards, radioactive materials, and other implements of terror might be lurking around every corner. It's hard to watch this documentary, which so vividly details the personalities and politics at play in a typical New York City firehouse, and not feel thankful for the job they do.