The mini-series 800 Meters documentary is directed by Elías León of the The Alcàsser Murders fame and with interviews by journalist Nacho Carretero. The three episodes have a runtime of approximately 50-60 minutes each.
– 800 Meters review does not contain any spoilers –
800 Meters Is a Verbatim Testimony and a Disturbing Watch
800 Meters features first-hand accounts from witnesses and survivors of these events and testimony from the families of the victims and the perpetrators. The two episodes don’t just reconstruct these atrocities; they also reveal the lives of those involved before and after them, trying to understand how seemingly ordinary young people can become terrorists.
With unprecedented access to the families of the terrorists, 800 Meters explores what motivated them to perpetrate these attacks and tracks their actions before and after the attack.
The series also looks into the lives of the victims, examining the direct effect this tragic event had on them and their loved ones. It looks into why young people turn to extremism, terrorism and how it affects their families, friends, and communities.
In the wake of a terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spanish youth question the limits of their freedoms. Their search for answers leads them down a precarious path.
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As Tragedy Comes Knocking on the Doors, 800 Meters Reveals It All
It includes previously unreleased audiovisual material, exclusive interviews and first-hand accounts of the victims’ families. In addition, 800 Meters also contains testimonies from security forces, political representatives and other key players involved in the events surrounding this terrorist attack.
The documentary series dives into this question through interviews with friends and family of some of the attackers – many of whom had no idea they were planning it – and survivors and witnesses to the attack.
The show follows the investigation into the incident that left people dead and several injured. It also explores the human stories of those impacted by the attack. Those involved in creating this show are hoping for it to become more than just a reminder of what happened that day.
The documentary 800 Meters tells the moving story of these attackers and their families as they recount their experiences to provide a complete picture of what happened and why it happened.
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800 Meters is Based on Meticulous Research and Survivors Testimonies
Along the way, you will see survivors of these attacks, witness testimonies from those closest to those responsible – even those who saw them before they died– as well as with experts on terrorism to try and understand what happened that day in Barcelona and what drives young people to commit such an atrocity.
800 Meters is a reveal and tell-all that, through testimonies and filmed reconstructions, tells the story of the terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils on August 17, 2017. It chronicles how a group of young people born in Spain were influenced by extremist ideology and what led them to commit these attacks.
The police investigation revealed a network of radicalized young men, sons of immigrants from North Africa, who had committed themselves to jihad in Syria but who, for various reasons, had been unable to leave Spain.
The Youth Grappling with Harsh Realities in 800 Meters Documentary
After all the investigations into how this could have occurred in Spain – one of the most politically stable countries in Europe – 800 Meters takes a closer look at the reality on the ground: why did these young men turn their backs on Spanish society? Where did they go wrong, and what factors led young people to radicalize?
The documentary is told from three distinct perspectives: those of the survivors of the attacks; their friends and family; and the law enforcement officers who investigated the attacks and brought those responsible to justice. Each character is played with integrity, while actual video footage and interviews are interwoven.
The series explores the connections between the attackers and their radicalization and shows how easy it is for young people to become radicalized. The show also tells the story of victims who have to pick up their lives after the attack.
Stream It or Skip It?
The episodes reconstruct and analyze a year of police work as exhaustive as it was complex. The authorities tried to understand how these attacks could have happened and their consequences for the future.
800 Meters is currently streaming on Netflix.