August 29, 2005, forced a change on millions of Americans and the city of New Orleans: Hurricane Katrina made landfall near the Mississippi Delta with wind speeds and storm surge marking it between Category 3 and 4. The already overtaxed and under-maintained levy system in New Orleans was compromised soon thereafter. Many of those who chose to ride out the storm were trapped in homes and businesses by as much as 10 ft. of seawater and those who had fled often had nothing or little to return to after the flood waters subsided.
This documentary seeks to chronicle some of the stories of those who had change forced upon them, those who left the city after Katrina or could not return after the storm destroyed their home. While many New Orleanians give their voices to this documentary, there are four main subjects: Lorne, Jana, Marcus, and Chris. Each is a proud New Orleanian who has overcome the varied changes and struggles associated with the loss of their home and relocation. Forced Change follows these subjects and their families through nearly a decade of professional and home recordings.
Forced Change provides an excellent case study of the effects of Hurricane Katrina on some residents of New Orleans forced to relocate. While it does lack some scope (I personally know New Orleanians who ended up as far away as Canada after Katrina and the farthest we get from New Orleans is Texas) this ambitious project makes those who had footage from 2005 their subjects so we can watch the progress of their lives over a decade after the infamous hurricane nearly wiped New Orleans off the map.
All but one of the subjects interviewed makes an effort to return to New Orleans at least yearly and consider their home to be in the city as opposed to where they currently reside. While this short documentary has a narrow focus, it does an excellent job of portraying the disaster and its effects on everyday residents. Anyone looking for resources to study the effects of natural or climate disasters on the populations of cities should consider Forced Change. Highly Recommended.
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
Anyone studying the effects of disaster on individuals or populations would be interested in this documentary. Psychology and Psychiatry as well as Social Work students may be especially interested in this short and effective documentation of post-traumatic stress. Students of recent history or ecology may also find value in the documentation of the disaster and its physical effects.