As a part of literature, films convey the filmmakers’ interpretations. United 93 (Universal Pictures, USA, 2006) thus exemplifies how Paul Greengrass interprets the events that may have occurred on United Airlines Flight 93, one of four planes that crashed on September 11, 2001. This film incorporates the recordings of Airfone conversations prior to the plane crash, making it possible to consider it a case of cinema-vérité. However, the film does not simply remain as a mere representation of reality since the filmmaker’s creative licence produces the figurative characterization of Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas. Through visual techniques, Greengrass identifies Grandcolas as a collective hero, presents her as a cultural product, blurs the boundary between reality and fiction, foreshadows the climax of the film, and expands on the evolving conventions of a generic hero. Therefore, taking a theoretical approach to analyze the film hints at Greengrass’s cultural perspective and highlights how he challenges the modern film conventions.
