Across the world’s major cities, marathons hold a special resonance with people as local communities unite – be they runners participating in the event or bystanders yelling on their support – to overcome the physical, mental and emotional toil that comes with hand-in-hand with pounding the pavements for 26.2 miles.
Three years ago, in what was supposed to be a communal day to remember, a terrorist attacked rocked the city of Boston killing six and leaving hundreds of people – both runners and those supporters lining the sidewalks – badly injured. And though the tragic events that transpired in April of 2013 will serve as the basis for two Hollywood feature films in the form of Boston Strong and this year’s Patriots Day, the latter of which is led by Deepwater Horizon star Mark Wahlberg, HBO’s upcoming documentary Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing is designed to chronicle the journey of those greatly affected as they make the first steps on the road to recovery.
Helmed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, the feature takes place over the course of three years, opening on that fateful day and focusing on a newlywed couple, a mother and daughter, two brothers – all terribly injured by the blasts – and how they confront the reality of their new lives, braving PTSD and, in many cases, the loss of limbs in the process. It’s an inspired account, judging by this reveal trailer, and we understand Stern and Sundberg have incorporated surveillance footage, news clips, home movies and exclusive interviews with survivors and their families into their insightful, unflinching account.
Look for Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing to premiere via HBO on November 21.
MARATHON: THE PATRIOTS’ DAY BOMBING (Nov. 21) recounts the dramatic story of the April 2013 terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon through the experiences of individuals whose lives were affected. Ranging from the events of the day to the death-penalty sentencing of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the film features surveillance footage, news clips, home movies and exclusive interviews with survivors and their families, as well as first responders, investigators, government officials and reporters from the Boston Globe, which won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the bombing. In the wake of terrorism, a newlywed couple, a mother and daughter, and two brothers — all gravely injured by the blast — face the challenges of physical and emotional recovery as they and their families strive to reclaim their lives and communities.
