Desert Bayou (2007)

Filmmaker Alex LeMay explores the plight of 600 African-Americans who were unwittingly airlifted into the predominantly Caucasian state of Utah in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in this documentary exploring the aftermath of one of the worst natural and humanitarian disasters in American history. When the water settled on New Orleans, the disaster had only begun. Now, as LeMay allows evacuees of Hurricane Katrina to tell their remarkable stories in their own words, viewers are invited to explore whether two radically different cultures can truly come together in their most desperate hour, or whether social differences will simply prove too difficult to overcome. Additional candid interviews with military, political, and religious leaders, as well as influential figures from both communities, paint a vivid picture of the struggle for survival as the misplaced New Orleans citizens struggle to come to terms with their loss, and the rising tides of racism, religion, and politics threaten to wash away a century's worth of social progress.