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Engineers at Ground Zero

Engineers at Ground Zero is a documentary that highlights the little-known role structural engineers played following the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. While first responders have been rightfully praised, this film focuses on the structural engineers who ensured their safety during recovery, helped stabilize structures, and prevented the Hudson River from flooding the NYC Subway system. Featuring firsthand accounts, it examines how 9/11 has influenced building design and emergency response to keep the public safe. It is also a film about human nature and people coming together to take care of each other in the aftermath of a traumatic loss of life.

  • Kalim Armstrong
    Director
  • Carlos Carneiro
    Producer
  • Justin Levy
    Producer
  • Jaime Chew
    Producer
  • Nicholas Weissman
    Producer
  • Jonathan Nastasi
    Director of Photography
    Crookedfinger, Barracuda
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature, Short
  • Runtime:
    49 minutes 31 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    100,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Kalim Armstrong

Kalim Armstrong is a documentary filmmaker dedicated to fostering empathy and exploring our shared human experience through storytelling. He is the Co-Founder of Vacationland, a documentary studio creating uncommon films on common ground, with offices in New York, California, and Maine—where he calls home.

As a director, Kalim works on both commissioned documentaries and original films, often focusing on themes of social and racial justice, identity, and counterculture. His film “Telling the Story of Slavery” was published by The New Yorker and screened at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, while his short documentary “9 Degrees” premiered at DOC NYC.

He holds a BFA from SFAI and an MFA from Hunter College. As an educator, he has taught at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Hunter College, and Downtown Community Television Center in New York.

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