"Marathon: The Patriot's Day Bombing" Highlights Terrorism Aftermath And Survivors' Triumphs

What makes a terrorist? Writer/director/producer Ricki Stern contemplated the life of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who, at 20, co-orchestrated the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2013 with his older brother.  A Chechen immigrant who was relocated to the US in 2002 by his parents, Tsarnaev appeared to be an average teenager.  A marine biology major at UMass Dartmouth, Tsarnaev played sports, listened to hip hop and was popular amongst his peers.  He even volunteered in community services. “What is that tipping point?  No one knows, there is no real answer.”

Stern, along with collaborator Anne Sundberg, had been reviewing the topic of terrorism for a year with HBO, looking for the thread that would weave a character-driven documentary. The duo behind acclaimed docs including “The Trials of Darryl Hunt”, “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” and “In My Father’s House” recognized there’s tremendous media blitz around a terrorist attack, but generally little to no follow up on the aftermath.  After noticing the work of Boston Globe photographer John Tlumacki and the reoccurring snapshots the paper offered featuring individuals affected by the bombing, Stern found the compelling subject she was searching for.  HBO partnered with the Boston Globe, enabling the production team access to archival material and photos related to the event.  Stern and Sundberg then focused on finding the key subjects for their documentary.

There were 260 individuals who had documented injuries after the two bombs were detonated. Physical trauma ranging from third degree burns to severe abrasions coupled with massive blood loss.  With a vast amount of potential subjects, Stern and Sundberg narrowed in on the amputees.

“People suffered hearing loss, eye issues, there was every range (of affliction resulting from the blasts),” said Stern. “As the amputees went through their physical recovery, we were seeing a window into their emotional recovery as well.”

Starting their documentary over a year after the actual bombing, Stern and Sundberg had the challenge of connecting with many of the victims while they were still in recovery. They focused on three couples:  newlywed couple Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, mother Celeste Corcoran and daughter Sydney, and brothers Paul and JP Norden.  All were amputees except Sydney Downes, who nearly died due to her extreme injuries.  Noting severe depression, suicide attempts and alcoholism were issues some survivors and their families were dealing with, ensuring the documentary would handle their ongoing rehabilitation with respect rather than exploit their turmoil was paramount to the team.

“This documentary would be character-driven. We focus on the responsibility that comes with that,” said Stern.  “We visited them, called them, and ensured them that what we wanted to do was a portrait of the human spirit.”

While some of the victims had some on camera experience previously through interviews or participating in morning talk shows, Stern and Sundberg helped prepare the documentary participants for the on-going process required to capture their experiences; a realization that allowed them to become more relaxed with the process of having cameras frequently present.  Kensky, whose prosthetic training was done at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, was initially encouraged by working with the officers.  However, she frequently battled depression as her health went up and down. Determining Kensky needed to maintain a sense of control while also encouraging her to record the challenges she was facing, Stern and Sundberg gave her an iPhone 6 she could use at times she was ready to share her emotions.

Working with HBO’s fair use lawyers, Stern and Sundberg were able to incorporate footage from the day of the marathon, the bombing, the aftermath and images related to the trail. Ready to edit, they now had thousands of hours of material including what the Department of Justice released after the trail, what they had shot and what the families shared.  As they looked over the expansive narrative choices, they found the rhythm of the movie: it would be a survivor’s story that maintained a bird’s eye view of the capture of Tsarnaev, while highlighting the victims’ personal aftermath.

“As one contemplates the impact on families, it was important to pull back the layers of the (incident) and show the context,” noted Stern. “The viewer needs to have an understanding of the day.”

The importance of understanding the day hit home for Stern: she was in Paris during the terrorist attacks and obtained a first-hand understanding of the impact the events had on the community. She also marveled at the speed in which the world learned of the attacks before all the areas of the city discovered the news.  In August, HBO asked Stern and Sundberg if they would adjust their schedule.  They wanted to air the film in response to the rash of terrorism that swept through Europe and the US.  Working with their talented team, Stern and Sundberg hastened their pace and locked their edit in just over three months.  Initially slated for a 2017 completion, “Marathon: The Patriot’s Day Bombing” will premier November 21^st, 2016 at 8:00pm on HBO.

To learn more about “Marathon: The Patriot’s Day Bombing” please visit: http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/marathon-the-patriots-day-bombing