Film New Orleans' Screening of Katrina Babies
On Thursday, June 26th, Film New Orleans is hosting a screening of the documentary film Katrina Babies, directed by Edward Buckles Jr. as part of a larger screening and discussion series to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
The film, which has a showtime of 1 hour and 19 minutes, will be followed by a discussion with writer and historian, Ciera Chernier, a "Katrina baby" who is featured in the film.
Chernier not only has first-hand experience and appearances in the film, she has also professionally written on the topic of Hurricane Katrina in her recent pieces titled "The Katrina Babies Are Grown Up and We All Have Something to Say" in ESSENCE Magazine, as well as "From Katrina to Maui, Disaster Capitalism Continues to Exploit Many 'Souths'" in Scalawag Magazine.
More About the Film
Director Buckles, who is a New Orleans native himself, came up with the idea for Katrina Babies by interviewing those who were children aged 3-19 during Hurricane Katrina years later as young adults. He centers the story around the trauma experienced by young people at the hands of the storm and its aftermath, as well as the injustice that ensued. The film was released in 2022 on HBO Max.
Katrina Babies was shortlisted at the Academy Awards in 2023 and was the recipient of both the "Human/Nature Award" and the Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director at the 2022 Tribeca Awards.
Event Details
The event will be held in the Ty Tracey Theatre at Gallier Hall at 545 St. Charles Ave., which is accessible by the St. Charles streetcar. The screening and discussion are free to attend, and spots can be reserved here. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the screening begins at 6:30 p.m.
Film New Orleans, the city of New Orleans' film permitting department, will be showing When the Levees Broke for their next screening in the series, date to be announced.
