The Philadelphia Inquirer 9/11 film illuminates life of beloved chaplain Icon with no halo: The 'Saint of 9/11' In a dozen cities across the country today, as communities commemorate the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, one Philadelphian's contribution will play a key role. Filmmaker Glenn Holsten's Saint of 9/11, a documentary about the life of the Rev. Mychal Judge, the chaplain of the New York Fire Department who died on the scene in Lower Manhattan that day, will be featured in special screenings today and tomorrow in 13 U.S. cities. Holsten said he believed audiences had responded to his film because it shows that humanity emerges from "huge, horrible events" like 9/11 in individual actions. "Not everybody can be a Father Judge, but the film shows that life is a series of small gestures that have a profound impact," Holsten said. The news photo of the body of the 68-year-old Franciscan being carried at the World Trade Center scene by five rescuers - three New York City firemen, a policeman, and an emergency management worker - became one of Sept. 11's iconic images. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani had invited Judge to join him and other officials; the priest declined, saying he wanted to minister to the firefighters and other victims. In Philadelphia, Saint of 9/11 will have a free public screening tonight at 7:30 at the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing, Chestnut Street at the riverfront. The 90-minute film, narrated by Ian McKellen, will be followed by a panel discussion by Holsten and executive producer Malcolm Lazin, who heads the Equality Forum gay rights group in Center City. The film debuted April 27 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City followed by a May 5 premiere in Philadelphia at the Equality Forum's annual week of events involving civil rights and issues of gays, lesbians and other sexual minorities. Judge was gay, but the film focuses on him as a man of faith and how he came to terms with his life. Indeed, the documentary spends more time on his work with the poor and ill and his personal struggle with alcoholism than his sexuality, which was known to many New York fire officials and firefighters. Since its premiere, Saint of 9/11 has been selected for film festivals in Montreal and Jerusalem as well as other U.S. cities. The fact that it is a documentary released this year made the film a natural to include in some cities' commemorations of the fifth anniversary of 9/11. Lazin said he suggested that communities wishing to screen the film invite clergy and firefighters and ask them to take part in panel discussions. In Patchogue, N.Y., for example, a Suffolk County community whose firefighters responded to the 9/11 attack in New York City, the film will be introduced tomorrow by the Rev. Kevin Smith, chaplain of the local fire department, who found Judge's body and had it placed at the altar of St. Peter's Church in Lower Manhattan. Other screenings today include Boston, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle.
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