Go See This Film

Good Morning -

I know that might sound bossy and unlike the tone you may be used to in these blogs, but I feel too strongly about this film to mess around with soft, subtle language.

I'd heard bits and pieces about it all fall. I knew that it had footage shot from a woman and her husband who lived in the 9th Ward in New Orleans and had stayed for Katrina because they weren't economically able to evacuate. I knew that it followed them through their experiences.

I knew that it looked like something I wanted to see. First person perspective is so important - especially when the context has so much pain seeped into it.

Last weekend, I got an email from the Landmark Theatres that the film was coming to Denver. The email encouraged me to see the film now so that it could get its numbers up and have a chance for a broader distribution.

This felt important to me, so I made sure to find a time to go down to the Mayan and see it. It's not that it's a film about Katrina and the egregious events that followed - it's that it's a film about Katrina and the egregious events that followed from the perspective of people who experienced it.

There's enough racism and discrimination seeped into the bayou without co-opting the stories, without the taking of the stories by someone of privilege who says, with albeit good intentions, "Here, let me help you. I'll tell your story for you and then people will know how bad it was for you."

I'm not saying that films about Katrina that aren't from the perspective of people who directly experienced it aren't important or are racist.

I'm saying that when you have opportunity to hear the story from the perspective of someone who did experience it, it's incumbent upon you to do so (assuming you care about what happened and are, therefore, watching films about it).

It's the difference between an ally and a person directly experiencing the oppressive conditions. The ally is an important role and acts as a bridge between those who are experiencing oppression and those with privilege, but nothing can beat the direct, first-person perspective of the person experiencing oppression and the oppression is never going to be eradicated as long as it's only the ally that is heard and respected.

There are so many important moments in the film. There are so many moments when I thought, "That's what community is. That's what people are trying to create."

Both my partner and I decided that any student intending to do Social Work when they graduate needs to see the film.

Is it hard to watch? Yes. Did I cry through much of it? Of course. Did it give me good reminders about the human spirit? Thankfully, yes.

I checked the website for the film and it is showing somewhere in almost all of the states. This means that everyone has the chance to see it and support this story in being heard by as many people as possible. Some of you may have to drive to the next big town, but it's worth it. I promise.

Is seeing this film going to make New Orleans all better? Does your viewing of this film guarantee that everything wrong about the rebuild will be corrected? Who knows - that's not the reason to go see this film.

The reason to go see this film and witness this woman and her husband share their experience is that to do so supports their healing.

Because it's hard or impossible for all of us to get down to the Crescent City and witness those stories in person, we can all be grateful that this couple's story has made it to a format that we can access from our home towns. We can all be grateful that we are able to support the healing of someones pain through witness.

You may be better for it. You may have your own perspective changed. You may grow as a person as a result of witnessing their story. All of these things may happen, but it's not about you, so any good you gain is secondary to the purpose.

Please - go see this film. Buy some popcorn, bring some tissues, and listen to this couple as they share their story of what happened when Katrina came to their neighborhood in August of 2005.

Here's to that. Here's to witnessing story. Here's to healing through story. Here's to participating in something that's not about you at all.