Erica Edwards

Belly of the Basin, a documentary on Hurricane Katrina by Roxana Walker-Canton and Tina Morton

DOCUMENTARY: "Bombarded with sensationalized media coverage of Hurricane Katrina for months after the hurricane ravaged the Gulf Coast, audiences around the world watched as the media portrayed demoralizing images of African Americans looting in the midst of the chaos. As a result, the media focused on the criminalization of African-American survival as opposed to focusing on the overwhelming psychological and physical displacement and dislocation that the hurricane created for the black, indigenous and poor communities affected by the hurricane and flood. "Belly of the Basin" asks New Orleans to tell its story through the voices of its ordinary residents. One woman says that they were left to die like rats. One man says that no one cares about the little man.  One child says that she's afraid that she will never be as happy as she used to be. Since the hurricane, much has been said about the destruction of homes and businesses. But for the survivors, the emotional and psychological loss of home has been the most difficult to handle. Through individual stories of survivors and volunteers of grassroots organizations "Belly of the Basin" poses questions about the value of human life in relationship to race, class and politics. The running time is 54 minutes."

http://www.geneseo.edu/news/nrap.php?pg=CalendarofEventsNov.2-8.html