“When The Levees Broke”: A Requiem in Four Acts

“When The Levees Broke” is an HBO documentary that was released in 2006. The documentary was directed by Spike Lee, and follows the events that happened after the destructive Hurricane Katrina that primarily affected the city of New Orleans.
I chose this documentary because of the significance of the interviews that were used in the documentary. New Orleans residents, the mayor at the time of the hurricane, police officials, government officials, actors, activists were all amongst the people that were interviewed for this documentary. Film from when the hurricane made landfall until people were able to go back to their homes to assess the hurricane damage was used. The documentary not only focused on the effects of the hurricane but it also focused on the controversy surrounding the Bush administration and FEMA’s failed role in providing timely aid to the people of New Orleans.
I also chose this documentary because of its authenticity and its realness. Lee really let his interviewees speak the truth on how they felt about the hurricane and how it was handled, and how they believed they were financially abandoned due to racial and class reasons. The four part documentary is told in chronological order and really makes the viewer feel as if they were there at the time of the hurricane. “When The Levees Broke” also won three Emmy awards as well as the Peabody Award.