Betsy West and Julie Cohen, the filmmakers behind “RBG” and “Julia,” will make “Top of the World,” a brand new documentary quick for NCS Films and Time Studios.
Set inside Windows on the World, the legendary restaurant atop the World Trade Center, the documentary quick attracts on the voices of those that labored there to seize a portrait of ambition, group, and resilience. Produced in affiliation with Montalto Pictures, Tribeca Studios, and Storyville Films, Top of the World will premiere this fall in choose theaters and on NCS. Its launch coincides with the twenty fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist assaults and the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Windows on the World.
The movie relies on Tom Roston’s “The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World.” It is anchored by firsthand accounts from Kevin Zraly, the restaurant’s longtime wine grasp whose tenure spanned from its opening via its ultimate day; Sekou Siby, who arrived from Côte d’Ivoire as a prep cook dinner and constructed a path to citizenship; Michael Lomonaco, the ultimate head chef who led the restaurant to its best acclaim; and Nathalie Tolentino, a Peruvian-born hostess who grew to become an important hyperlink for grieving households in the aftermath of the assaults. Interwoven all through, the phrases of visionary restaurateur Joe Baum, the mastermind behind the fabled eatery.
“Windows had so many elements of what makes New York beautiful: the glamour and spectacle of the high end food and fine wine world, and a talented staff of immigrants from around the globe who brought their diverse experiences to the job every day. We’re so excited to tell this rich, multi-faceted story,” mentioned Cohen and West in a press release.
“Ryan and I read Tom Roston’s ‘The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World’ when it was released in 2019, and from that moment on, we were determined to bring this remarkable story to the screen,” mentioned mentioned Katie Lee Biegel and Ryan Biegel of Montalto Pictures. “Windows on the World represented so much of New York City’s spirit, and the history of Windows, in many ways, mirrored that of the city itself. The stories featured in this documentary are emotional and inspiring. Julie and Betsy have done an extraordinary job striking the delicate balance between celebrating the magic and cultural impact of Windows while honoring the lives lost on that tragic day. We are incredibly proud to be partnering with NCS on this project.”
“Few filmmakers working today are as skilled at illuminating the human stories behind defining moments in history as Betsy West and Julie Cohen,” mentioned Amy Entelis, govt vp for expertise, NCS Originals and inventive improvement for NCS Worldwide. “Top of the World offers a deeply personal window into a place that meant so much to New York and to the people who worked there.”
“This is a deeply special project for all of us at TIME. Windows on the World represented the energy, optimism, and soul of New York, and we’re thankful to our partners for the opportunity to help bring this remarkable story to audiences,” mentioned Time Studios President Ben Bitonti.
Opened in 1976, Windows on the World occupied the 106th and 107th flooring of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. At its top, it was the highest-grossing standalone restaurant in the United States, in addition to a cultural crossroads the place greater than 60 languages had been spoken amongst the employees. For many who labored there, it was a gateway to alternative and an entry level into American life, the place careers had been constructed, households supported, and a tight-knit group fashioned that mirrored the metropolis’s immigrant spirit. That group was without end modified on September 11, 2001, when the assaults on the World Trade Center claimed the lives of 79 Windows staff and reshaped the lives of those that survived.
Complementing this portrait, govt producer Katie Lee Biegel serves as culinary marketing consultant and meals stylist, working alongside govt producer Ryan Biegel, to assist carry the restaurant’s menu and culinary artistry vividly to life.
West and Cohen will govt produce the movie, in addition to direct it. The documentary quick is produced by Ryan Biegel, Vicky Liu, and Holly Siegel. Executive Producers are Entelis and Roxanna Sherwood for NCS Films; Bitoni and Loren Hammonds for Time Studios; Katie Lee Biegel and Ryan Biegel for Montalto Pictures; Jane Rosenthal and Berry Welsh for Tribeca Studios; Regina Ok Scully; and Oren Jacoby. “Top of the World” is edited by Ilya Chaiken and director of images is Claudia Raschke.
The undertaking marks the fifth collaboration between the filmmakers and NCS Films. They beforehand labored collectively on “RBG,” “Julia,” “Gabby Giffords: Won’t Back Down” and the forthcoming “Amelia.” NCS Films and Time Studios have teamed on movies about public figures together with John Lewis and Giffords.
Cohen and West’s “RBG” was nominated for an Oscar; their movie “My Name is Pauli Murray” gained the Peabody and duPont Columbia Awards; and “Julia” was shortlisted for an Oscar. They had been artistic govt producers of final yr’s Oscar shortlisted movie “Frida.” Recently, Cohen directed the documentaries “Everybody” and “The Path Forward,” and West directed “Once Upon a Time in Ukraine,” which was shortlisted for an Oscar and produced Oren Jacoby’s “This Is Not a Drill,” which premiered in 2025 at Telluride.
Before they started their filmmaking partnership in 2015, Cohen and West each had careers in broadcast journalism and unbiased documentaries. Cohen was a producer at Court TV and Dateline NBC and directed “The Sturgeon Queens “(Berlinale 2015) and “I Live to Sing” (PBS; New York Emmy for Best Arts Program) amongst others. West was a community tv information producer and govt, first at ABC the place she gained 21 Emmy Awards, after which at CBS the place she was the govt in cost of “60 Minutes.” The duo is repped by CAA and Alexis Galfas at Cinetic Media.