FREE SCREENING

April 7 (Saturday)
5 pm (Acts I & II)
8 pm (Acts III & IV)

When the Levees Broke:
A Requiem in Four Acts

Directed by Spike Lee
US 2006, video, color, 240 min.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina Spike Lee traveled to the Gulf Coast region to craft what he describes as a “film document” of the tragic events. Composed in four acts, When the Levees Broke is sweeping in its scope, chronicling inept pre-storm preparations, failed responses by FEMA and other government agencies, the devastating impact on the city’s residents, and the possibility of a hopeful future for New Orleans. Despite the palpable anger of Lee’s tone he remains largely off-camera, allowing the city’s mostly African-American residents to give voice to their dire circumstances.


Harvard Film Archive
24 Quincy St Carpenter Center - Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138