It’s the third volume in the so-called Terror Trilogy, and acclaimed filmmaker Dan Reed is bringing his newest film, Terror at the Mall, to SIFF for a free screening Wednesday night. {RSVP here for free tickets.}

I spent my weekend immersed in Reed’s three Terror films (when I wasn’t watching football) and they make for three of the most compelling documentaries I have ever seen. Terror in Moscow (2003) is about the 2002 siege on a Russian theater, held hostage by Chechen rebels. Terror in Mumbai (2009) tells the story of the November 2008 attacks throughout Mumbai, India. Terror at the Mall (which will appear on HBO next Monday) is about a 2013 attack on a Nairobi, Kenya shopping mall. Taken together, they recreate three different terrorist attacks through the testimony of those who lived through it. Dan Reed only uses primary sources, video recordings, audio recordings, and interviews, to recreate what happened. There is little projection, and thankfully no talking heads trying to put the attacks in some kind of War on Terror™ context. Terror at the Mall and Terror in Mumbai make use of audio recordings from terrorist communications to show some hesitance and naivety from the people who have way too much power over someone’s life. More powerfully, it shows the randomness of getting caught up in an ideological mess that no one chose or signed up for, but are often powerless to escape.

You can get caught up here:

http://vimeo.com/45234763