13 Families: Life After Columbine

The title of this poignant documentary refers to the parents, siblings, and extended families of the 12 students and one teacher who were killed during the 1999 shootings at Colorado's Columbine High School. Filmmakers Nicole Corbin, Mark David Katchur, and Steve LuKanic employ a mix of home videos, photographs, and numerous interviews to offer insights into the personalities, achievements, and struggles of the Columbine victims' families. News footage from the incident and its aftermath (coupled with rarely seen school surveillance video of the panic created by the gunmen) revisit the fatal rampage, while mothers and fathers recall receiving the tragic news that their children were among those killed, and one young survivor notes how vicious racial slurs uttered by the perpetrators were the last words heard by Isaiah Shoels, the sole African American among the dead. 13 Families also details how the relatives of the slain sought to memorialize and honor their loved ones—some entered the fray of government-mandated gun control efforts, while others rallied for a formal monument, which was later dedicated at a special ceremony featuring former President Bill Clinton. A heartbreaking, beautiful tribute, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)