Tribeca Film Festival Short: Home
Update 6/11/09: I’m sorry this film is no longer available. As soon as I can find it I will repost it here.
Filmmaker Matt Faust of Louisiana State University looks at Louisiana Post-Katrina:
For someone who lives in South Louisiana, “Home” is haunting. We have not recovered sufficiently from the devastation of Katrina, physically or emotionally.
I am extremely happy that this film was made, that it is part of the Tribeca Film Festival, and it won in the short film documentary category. One of the jurors for this category was Rachel Maddow of MSNBC. I am grateful that she cares enough to keep talking about Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike, and the Gulf Coast. She seems to be the only mainstream TV pundit to keep the story alive outside our area. Thank you, Rachel, for keeping us and our plight in the prime time news.
The feelings I am experiencing seeing the film are “sad” and “surreal” Being reminded of how devastating Katrina was and how much it still affects so many people here in 2009 still brings on the feeling that somehow this is a nightmare, and some morning we will awaken from it. But I know it’s real. It’s not a nightmare. I haven’t figured out why I continue to feel this way even though I have seen, touched and smelled the devastation first-hand, not once, but repeatedly, as I helped my mom get ready to move away from New Orleans after the storm. I will never forget the smell…
I am also extremely angry that one of our senators, David Vitter, is blocking the confirmation of the new head of FEMA under the Obama Administration, and hurricane season is only 21 days from now. WTF is Vitter thinking???
Posted on May 10th, 2009 by Sherri
Filed under: Stories, Videos
Hi Joubess,
it really touched me deep inside to see this video and read your article. My first impression was, that this has the effect of a nuclear bomb, not only one time destruction but long time suffer and pain. Although I am from Germany, Europe and have only heard of it in the news I wanted to send you my warmest wishes and hopefully one person more thinking of you and your families pain can decrease your suffering a little bit.
Stay strong!
Phil
I, too, am so delighted that this treasure was brought to the forefront by Rachel and the other judges. It’s a moving piece, and serves to bring more attention to the still-struggling, never fully restored post-Katrina area.
Just not right what the Bush Admin. did to the people of Louisiana. Great post.
Dear Perry and Phil,
Thank you both so much for your kind words and thoughts. If it weren’t for the volunteers and media people like Rachel Maddow keeping us front-of-mind, I’m pretty sure we would have been swept under the rug farther than the Bush administration pushed us.
I also have a lot more confidence in Secretary Napolitano than Sec. Cherthoff, who left so many to suffer. The new Sec. Of HLS has toured the Gulf Coast and is working with both FEMA and HUD to get housing rebuilt and finish the clean-up that still isn’t complete.
Our flood control infrastructure and wetlands restoration are still far from being addressed adequately.
I may be finding the answer to the continued feeling of surreality many of us feel. After 4 years, we’re still in shock and we are still trying to get our bearings and find a new normal. New Orleans is still too bad off to feel any sense of normalcy yet.
Sherri