About the Film – Finding Daylight

JASON

Chris

…were working together at their bond trading desk on the 104th floor of the North Tower when the first plane hit.

Jason DeFazio and Chris Faughnan were at different but typical stages of life.

Jason, married only three months to wife Michele, was anticipating changing careers to become a New York City firefighter.

Chris was husband to Cathy and father of three small children. The couple planned to move back to Colorado soon to raise the kids near their large extended family.

The Story Behind the Doc

‘FINDING DAYLIGHT ’ has deep significance for me because my younger sister, Michele, is Jason’s widow. When 9/11 happened, it seemed there was little I could do to console our suffering family. I wanted to help give voice to our grief and at the same time bear witness as we navigated a way forward.

I began with audio interviews and later widened the circle to include the family of Chris Faughnan. Jason and Chris worked together at Cantor Fitzgerald and were friends. I felt these two young men represented the promise of lives unfolding because while Jason was newly married, Chris already had three young children.

By focusing on those they left behind I’ve aimed to create an intimate chronicle of hard-won resilience as people move forward and rebuild their lives after devastating loss.

Of significant concern was how to present imagery of the attacks and other important visual moments. The shocking news images that were constantly broadcast after the attacks, when seen repeatedly, especially year after year, make us instinctively turn away.

So, instead I chose artistic representations of 9/11 which provide an accessible path between the horror of the events and a visual segue to life in the aftermath.

I am so grateful to the many talented artists who graciously agreed to have their work become part of Finding Daylight.