Cohen and West frame this as a celebration of immigrant ambition, community resilience, and New York's indomitable spirit—their statement emphasizes glamour, spectacle, and diverse voices coming together at the legendary restaurant.
Insiders note the project arrives 25 years after September 11 claimed 79 Windows employees—yet sources say survivors and families have been fiercely protective of their stories. One family member reportedly told producers: 'This isn't your story to tell.'
Windows on the World opened in April 1976; at its peak it was America's highest-grossing standalone restaurant. The documentary is based on Tom Roston's book 'The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World' (2019) and features firsthand accounts from wine master Kevin Zraly, who worked there from opening through September 11, 2001.
Cohen and West have built a career mining history for drama—but with survivors still grieving and some families reportedly wary of outside tellers, this one carries real stakes. When the film drops this fall, expect applause alongside controversy.
Betsy West and Julie Cohen—the powerhouse filmmaking duo who gave us the Oscar-nominated Supreme Court portrait 'RBG'—are heading back to familiar territory: untangling complicated legacies through intimate human stories. Their latest project, 'Top of the World,' is a documentary short set inside Windows on the World, the legendary restaurant that occupied floors 106 and 107 of the World Trade Center's North Tower until September 11, 2001. The film will premiere this fall in select theaters and on CNN, timed to coincide with both the 25th anniversary of the attacks and the restaurant's 50th opening anniversary.
Produced in association with Montalto Pictures, Tribeca Studios, and Storyville Films, it's a collaboration with CNN Films and Time Studios—and yes, that's their fifth partnership with the network. The documentary draws on firsthand accounts from those who lived the experience: Kevin Zraly, the restaurant's longtime wine master whose tenure spanned from opening day through the final morning; Sekou Siby, who arrived from Côte d'Ivoire as a prep cook and built his path to citizenship within those kitchen walls; Michael Lomonaco, the final head chef who guided the establishment to its greatest culinary acclaim; Nathalie Tolentino, a Peruvian-born hostess who became an essential liaison for grieving families in the attacks' aftermath.
Their voices are woven together with the words of visionary restaurateur Joe Baum, the mastermind behind the fabled eatery. But here's where the narrative gets complicated—and where tea-rex perks up. According to sources familiar with production discussions, some survivors and family members have been protective about who gets to tell this story.
One relative reportedly warned that outsiders shouldn't claim narratives that belong to those who were there. The filmmakers' statement emphasizes glamour, spectacle, and immigrant ambition: 'Windows had so many elements of what makes New York beautiful,' they said in a joint release. Katie Lee Biegel and Ryan Biegel of Montalto Pictures called the stories 'emotional and inspiring,' praising Cohen and West for striking 'the delicate balance between celebrating the magic and cultural impact of Windows while honoring the lives lost on that tragic day.' Whether that balance lands with those most directly affected remains to be seen.
The numbers are stark: 79 employees of Windows on the World perished on September 11. The restaurant itself, opened in April 1976, had grown into America's highest-grossing standalone eatery—a cultural crossroads where more than 60 languages were spoken among staff. For many immigrants like Siby, it was an entry point into American life, a place where careers were built and families supported.
The film is based on Tom Roston's book 'The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World,' published in 2019. Amy Entelis, CNN's executive vice president for talent and creative development, called Cohen and West 'few filmmakers working today' skilled at illuminating human stories behind defining historical moments—high praise from a network that's backed their previous work on RBG, Julia, Gabby Giffords: Won't Back Down, and the forthcoming Amelia. For all the prestige attached to this project, the emotional terrain is treacherous.
The film's executive producer roster includes Katie Lee Biegel as culinary consultant alongside Ryan Biegel; Amy Entelis and Roxanna Sherwood for CNN Films; Ben Bitonti and Loren Hammonds for Time Studios; Jane Rosenthal and Berry Welsh for Tribeca Studios; Regina K Scully; and Oren Jacoby. Ilya Chaiken edits, with Claudia Raschke as director of photography. West and Cohen will executive produce alongside directing—continuing a partnership that began in 2015 after both had distinguished broadcast journalism careers.
Their track record speaks for itself: RBG earned an Oscar nomination, My Name is Pauli Murray won Peabody and duPont Columbia Awards, Julia was Oscar-shortlisted. But 'Top of the World' isn't just another feather in their caps—it's a story that still has living wounds, and some of those wounded aren't ready to let strangers tend them.
