The historic Majestic Theater in Gettysburg will host a special screening of Paul Greengrass’s acclaimed drama United 93 this Saturday at 6 p.m., marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The event includes a live panel discussion with five family members of the passengers and crew who lost their lives aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Director Paul Greengrass on the Film’s Legacy
Two decades after its release, United 93 remains a benchmark for dramatizing real-life tragedy. For Greengrass, the project holds a unique place in his career.
“It’s no doubt in my mind that making “United 93″ was the most extraordinary privilege of my working life,” Greengrass said.
The director pursued rigorous authenticity, filming inside an exact replica of a Boeing 757, casting non-professional actors and actual aviation personnel, and securing unanimous approval from the victims’ families.
Family Members Share Personal Connections
Gordie Felt, whose brother Edward Felt was a passenger on Flight 93, rarely watches the film. He describes the experience as a tense hope against known history.
“You know, we’ll never really know exactly what happened in terms of the order of people rushing the cockpit, but much of that film is substantiated by facts that we’ve gleaned over the years from recordings of passengers, support people and family members on the ground,” Felt said.
“It’s amazing — you’re hoping, you’re watching, knowing how it ends. The way it’s constructed, you’re hoping they can do it, take that plane back, then reality strikes,” Felt said.
Edward Felt made a 911 call from the plane to a Westmoreland County dispatch center, a moment depicted in the film’s climax. Actor John Rothman portrays Edward Felt, a performance Gordie Felt praised.
“He did such a superb job of portraying Ed. I was very grateful to him,” Felt said.
Felt remembers his brother as a brilliant computer engineer and a devoted father.
“When he started talking about what he did for work, we never really understood — we’d just smile and nod and be thankful there are guys like Ed out there,” Felt said.
“Our kids are younger. We looked at Ed and Sandy and watched how they raised their kids, and it was inspiring,” Felt said.
For Gordie Felt, the screening is another chance to honor the courage of the passengers and crew who fought the hijackers.
“We’ll carry this story with us for as long as we can, and there will come a day when we can’t tell the story anymore. That’s why it’s important to have projects like United 93 — to tell the story, at least thematically, to the next generation,” Felt said.
Event Organizer Highlights Significance
Andrew Dalton of Gettysburg History helped organize the commemoration.
“The purpose of this event is [to] showcase great works of American history on screen, and I can’t think of a better way to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11 than to screen United 93,” Dalton said.
“Having these family members involved makes this event more than a screening,” Dalton said.
Screening Details and Special Guest
The screening takes place Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Majestic Theater on Carlisle Street in Gettysburg. Actor John Rothman, who played Edward Felt in the film and also appeared in the 1993 movie Gettysburg, will attend. Rothman originally suggested bringing United 93 to the town.
Tickets are available online; click here to purchase.
