Boatlift 9/11 Film Marks 25th Anniversary of Maritime Rescue

The film, which begins streaming exclusively on Great American Pure Flix on September 10, draws inspiration from Jessica DuLong’s book Saved at the Seawall. It centers on a fictionalized tugboat captain, Jan, and her daughter, Britt, who navigate the chaos of New York Harbor as smoke and ash descend upon the city. Their journey captures the broader reality of that day, when private boaters, ferry operators, and tug crews bypassed danger to pull thousands of stranded survivors from Battery Park.

Great American Media CEO Bill Abbott described the production as a tribute to the immediate, selfless response of citizens who ran toward the disaster. Directed by Dale Fabrigar and starring Sofia Helin, the project serves as both a historical record and a reminder of the civilian heroism that defined the waterfront response.

Producer Suzanne DeLaurentiis emphasized the urgency of preserving these accounts for a generation that did not experience the events firsthand. The film has already garnered industry recognition, earning Best Short of the Season honors from the Independent Shorts Awards. Beyond its narrative focus, the project supports the Mendez National Institute of Transplantation Foundation, highlighting the ongoing health challenges faced by 9/11 survivors exposed to toxic debris.