As the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, Tavis Smiley Reports visits New Orleans, capturing the mood and spirit of the city’s courageous residents five years after the levees failed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Tavis reflects: “We see two sides of the city—the tourist areas that have been redeveloped with federal funds, and the devastated neighborhoods where everyday people have taken it upon themselves to get their homes rebuilt, their schools reopened, and their lives back.”
For the program, Tavis reunites with Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme, who has spent the past five years chronicling the people of New Orleans as they struggle to recover and rebuild their city.
Tavis now returns to speak with some of the city’s most resilient residents who share their rich cultural heritage as they rebuild schools, churches and homes against enormous odds.
The charismatic and poignant people of New Orleans to be featured include:
- Jazz musicians Ellis and Branford Marsalis
- Actor John Goodman, longtime resident now starring in the HBO series Treme
- Actor Wendell Pierce, a third-generation native also starring in Treme
- New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu
- Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun, whose experiences were chronicled in Dave Eggers’ award-winning book Zeitoun
Watch the trailer HERE