African-Americans Kimberly Roberts and her husband Scott lived in one of New Orleans' poor neighborhoods when hurricane Katrina hit. She had just purchased a video recorder and decided to chronicle the storm. With no way of leaving New Orleans, Kimberly and Scott went to the local store to pick up water and food. They filmed some others in the neighborhood who also had decided to stay in their homes.

When the hurricane hit, they recorded the rising water that forced them and their pets to retreat to the attic. The water from a levee break was only three blocks from their house. Neighbor Larry Sims finds a boxing bag which he uses as a flotation device to rescue others. In one of the most depressing reports of what happened to them after this harrowing ordeal, Scott talks about seeking emergency housing in a nearby naval base and being turned away by troops with guns.

Co-directors Tia Lessin and Carl Deal mix archival material and other interviews with the after-Katrina journey of Kimberly, Scott, and their friend Brian, a recovering addict. With a great deal of courage and faith in God, they make a journey to Memphis where they hope to start their lives afresh. But there are troubles with FEMA payments and difficulties adapting to a new place. Eventually Kimberly and Scott return to their old home and vow to rebuild it. She puts out a rap song, "Hustle Struggle," in which she tries to express her anger, her determination, and her hope for a new life. Scott gets a job working with a contractor rebuilding homes in the city.

Where and When?


Screened at the New Directors/New Films Festival in New York City, April 2008.