“When the Levees Broke” is a four act documentary chronicling the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2006, director Spike Lee focused on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the people and families living in New Orleans, the United States government, and the media.
In Act Three, Spike Lee examined the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina through the lens of an inquirer. Spike Lee worked as an investigative reporter to put this documentary together, but he shot the footage to bring to light the effects of the disaster that have been swept under the rug.
Many families and residents of New Orleans were given the opportunity to share their feelings of negligence and abandonment they felt from the U.S. government’s slow response time and they’re manipulation of the media.
In one scene in the documentary, a resident explains how the power in his ruined house finally surged on to only be shut down in an instance. The man was at first puzzled, but later on learned that the power was shut down manually for a media opportunity for the news. The news channel wanted to frame the situation to make it appear that although there are hardships, their perseverance will keep them alive.
Spike Lee is better known for addressing the inequalities of racism in the United States than his coverage of national disasters, but he chose to shoot this documentary to portray the negative effects both whites and blacks shared from Hurricane Katrina.
