Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the 50th anniversary of the opening of the famed Windows on the World restaurant, the documentary short film Top of the World, from Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen, is set for release.
Top of the World tells the story of Windows on the World, the legendary restaurant atop the World Trade Center that became both a symbol of New York City’s resurgence in the 1970s and one of the most celebrated restaurants in America. Its story came to a devastating end on September 11, 2001, when the terrorist attacks claimed the lives of all 79 Windows employees working that morning, along with 91 guests.
The film will open in New York for a limited theatrical engagement at DCTV Firehouse Cinema from August 28 through September 3, before premiering on CNN on Monday, September 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Top of the World will stream at CNN.com/Watch and on the CNN app starting Tuesday, September 8.
Through intimate firsthand accounts from the former staff who made Windows on the World extraordinary, Top of the World recreates the magical world that existed 107 stories above Manhattan, where fine dining, hospitality, and the American dream converged. Anchored by interviews with acclaimed chef Michael Lomonaco, longtime Cellar Master Kevin Zraly, hostess Nathalie Tolentino, and prep cook Sekou Siby, the film reveals how a restaurant became a gateway to opportunity for generations of immigrants and an enduring symbol of New York City itself. Food writer Ruth Reichl and former WNBC anchor Carol Jenkins bring perspective on Windows and on New York City during the restaurant’s twenty-five-year history.
Denis Leary joins the project as the voice of legendary restaurateur Joe Baum, the visionary behind Windows on the World. Drawing from Baum’s own words preserved in decades of archival recordings, Leary gives voice to the restaurateur whose ambition and imagination helped shape the restaurant into a defining New York institution.
Top of the World is directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West. The documentary short is produced by Ryan Biegel, Vicky Liu, and Holly Siegel. Executive Producers are Amy Entelis and Roxanna Sherwood for CNN Films; Ben Bitonti and Loren Hammonds for TIME Studios; Katie Lee Biegel and Ryan Biegel for Montalto Pictures; Jane Rosenthal and Berry Welsh for Tribeca Studios; Kerianne Flynn for New Plot Films; Regina K Scully for Artemis Rising Foundation; and Oren Jacoby of Storyville Films. Top of the World is edited by Ilya Chaiken and director of photography is Claudia Raschke. The film is inspired by the book, The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World, by Tom Roston.
Watch the official trailer for Top of the World above.
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