[caption id="attachment_66656" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Denis Leary in "Rescue Me." "]
A decade after terror attacks on the United States by Muslim extremists killed nearly 3,000 people, many artists, writers and historians are still exploring why and how these horrific crimes were perpetrated, as well as paying tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives on the day and documenting what became of those they left behind. To mark the milestone, television networks and newspapers will dedicate extensive coverage to the 10th anniversary of 9/11, while Hollywood will offer some poignant dramatic pieces with a Sept. 11, 2001 theme. Here are some highlights:
FILM
Directed by Stephen Daldry, the film adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's novel "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" is about a young boy convinced his father, who died on 9/11 in New York's World Trade Center, has left a final message for him hidden somewhere in the city. Thomas Horn plays the boy, Tom Hanks plays his dad and Sandra Bullock plays the child's grieving mom. The cast also includes James Gandolfini, Zoe Caldwell, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright and Max von Sydow. It opens in theaters Dec. 25.
TELEVISION
"Law and Order: SVU" star Mariska Hargitay narrates "Children of 9/11," an NBC program that follows a year in the lives of some of the children directly impacted by the events of Sept. 11, 2001. It will air Sept. 5.
Starting Sept. 5 and leading up to Sept. 11, ABC News broadcasts, including "World News with Diane Sawyer," "Good Morning America," "Nightline" and "20/20," will feature coverage to mark the anniversary. Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos will anchor the three-hour broadcast "9/11: America Remembers Ten Years Later - A Special Edition of Good Morning America" Sept. 11. Contributing as well to that program will be Katie Couric, Robin Roberts, David Muir and Christiane Amanpour. A special edition of "20/20" called "Remembrance and Renewal: 10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks" is also to air Sept. 11.
"Access Hollywood" will feature on its Sept. 5-9 shows interviews with celebrities who reflect on their experiences and memories of Sept. 11, 2001. Billy Bush talks to veteran newsman Dan Rather about his emotional post-9/11 interview on "Late Night with David Letterman," while actor Rob Lowe recalls traveling with a doomed flight crew on a trip before the attacks. Singer Liza Minnelli also remembers the spirit of the crowd at Shea Stadium at the first Mets game played in New York after Sept. 11. Other interview subjects include NBC News' Tom Brokaw and Matt Lauer, and "Rescue Me" star Denis Leary.
Speaking of Leary, the quintessential New York firefighter drama that the actor-writer-producer created in the wake of 9/11 wraps up its seven-season run Sept. 7 on FX. The show has earned acclaim from critics and firefighters alike for its deft portrayal of families torn apart by the terror attacks and crippled by survivor's guilt. It also has been lauded for its depiction of the intrinsic danger firefighters face every day on the job.
Also on Sept. 7, CNBC will air a special edition of its series "American Greed" entitled, "American Greed: 9/11 Fraud," which examines the lengths some people go to steal money in times of a national tragedy.
NEWS PROGRAMS
NBC's "Dateline" will air a two-hour special Sept. 9 during which NBC News Special Correspondent Tom Brokaw, who spent over 100 hours at the anchor desk that first week after the attacks, takes viewers back to some of the most powerful stories reported by NBC News in the days and months following the attacks. Brokaw will also re-interview some of the people he first spoke to about the tragedy 10 years ago.
The Sept. 10 edition of CNBC's "The Suze Orman Show" will be dedicated to the financial lessons of 9/11. That same day, A&E will run "Beyond: Messages from 9/11," a special based on 9/11 widow Bonnie McEneaney's book, "Messages: Signs, Visits and Premonitions From Loved Ones Lost on 9/11" about her experiences with her husband, Eamon -- before and after he died -- as well as other 9/11 relatives who, like her, said they had "signs and visitations from beyond the grave when they most needed comfort," A&E said in a news release.
MSNBC said it will air "On Native Soil," the story of the 9/11 Commission hearings, Sept. 10 and Sept. 11. The film includes interviews with witnesses who testified for the Commission behind closed doors." It is narrated by Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank.
NBC will preempt Sunday "Today" and "Meet the Press" so it can air a special broadcast covering the nation's observance of the anniversary on Sept. 11. NBC's "America Remembers" broadcast will include the official memorial ceremonies at Ground Zero in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa. -- the site of the United Airlines Flight 93 crash. Brian Williams will anchor from Ground Zero in New York along with David Gregory at the Pentagon in Washington and Lester Holt in New York. Williams also will anchor a special edition of "NBC Nightly News" from Ground Zero.
The Academy Award-winning documentary short "Twin Towers" will immediately follow the Sept. 11 world television premiere of "The Space Between" on USA Network. Starring Melissa Leo and Anthony Keyvan, the drama is about a flight attendant who strikes up a unique friendship with a 10-year-old Pakastani-American boy shortly after 9/11.
CBS News will provide extensive coverage across all of its platforms beginning Sept. 9 and running through Sept. 11 on "The Early Show," "CBS Evening News," "Face the Nation," "60 Minutes," CBS Radio News, CBSNews.com, CBS Newspath and CBS News' Polling and Survey Unit. Beginning Sept. 9, "The Early Show" and the" CBS Evening News" will broadcast live from Ground Zero in lower Manhattan.
On Sept. 11, six hours will be devoted to 9/11 anniversary coverage, beginning with a CBS News special "9/11: America Remembers," anchored by Scott Pelley. Immediately following the coverage of the scheduled events, a special edition of "Face the Nation" will broadcast live from Ground Zero. In addition, "60 Minutes" will devote the entire broadcast to 9/11 coverage, which will be followed by CBS Television Network and filmmakers Jules and Gedeon Naudet and James Hanlon's presentation of "9/11: 10 Years Later," an update of the award-winning film, "9/11." CBS News' coverage will include personal stories from survivors and family members of some of the victims, as well as reports from CBS News correspondents at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pa.
