On August 1, 1966, a sniper rode the elevator to the top floor of the University of
Texas Tower and opened fire, holding the campus hostage for 96 minutes. When the gunshots were finally silenced, the toll included 16 dead, three dozen wounded and a shaken nation left trying to understand. Combining archival footage with rotoscopic animation in a dynamic, never-before-seen way, TOWER reveals the action-packed, untold stories of the witnesses, heroes and survivors of America's first mass school shooting, when the worst in one man brought out the best in so many others. Directed by Keith Maitland, the film premieres on INDEPENDENT LENS Tuesday, February 14, 2017, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS. Watch a clip below:
TOWER explores this untold history through the first-person stories of seven specific characters: two students who were shot, the two police officers who ended the siege, two civilians who provided aid to victims and police, and the radio reporter who broadcast live from the scene for more than an hour and a half and whose broadcast was picked up nationally, bringing the events in Austin to listeners around the nation.
Seamlessly slipping from character to character, TOWER unfolds as a moment-by-moment re-telling of the events of the day, highlighting the fear, confusion and visceral realities of the shooting rampage. After the gunfire subsides, the story shifts to examine the immediate aftermath for these individuals and for society. Finally, TOWER steps out of the shadow of history to reveal the subjects as they are in the present day, exploring the legacy of the shooting through the eyes of the survivors.
"Four years ago when Keith approached INDEPENDENT LENS with this project, the topic of gun violence was preeminent. Unfortunately, that has become even more true in the years since we funded TOWER," said Lois Vossen, INDEPENDENT LENS executive producer. "Keith's approach -- weaving extraordinary animation with previously unseen archival footage -- offers a new way for audiences to look at the immediate and long-term impact on survivors."
Visit the TOWER page on INDEPENDENT LENS, which features more information about the film. TOWER will be available for online viewing on the site beginning February 15, 2017.
About INDEPENDENT LENS INDEPENDENT LENS is an Emmy® Award-winning weekly series airing on PBS Monday nights at 10:00 PM. The acclaimed series, with Lois Vossen as executive producer, features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by ITVS, the series is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding from PBS, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens.
