If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise
Encyclopedia
If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise is 2010 documentary film directed by Spike Lee
, as a follow-up to his 2006 HBO documentary film, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. The film looks into the proceeding years since Hurricane Katrina
struck the New Orleans and Gulf Coast region
, and also focuses on the 2010 BP oil spill
in the Gulf of Mexico
and its effect on the men and women who work along the shores of the gulf. Many of the participants in Levees were also featured in this documentary.
looked into allegations of brutality and cover-ups within the New Orleans Police Department
.
Another element in the documentary was the NFL's
New Orleans Saints
, a team long known for losing for the better half of its 43-year history, as they defeated New Orleans native Peyton Manning
and his Indianapolis Colts
in Super Bowl XLIV
, and seeing the region celebrating the victory which took place days prior to the annual Mardi Gras celebration.
Also included were a federal court ruling in February 2009 that held the United States Army Corps of Engineers
responsible for poor maintenance of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, which caused the flooding of New Orleans and its surrounding communities during Hurricane Katrina. Some native New Orleanians who re-located to the Houston area post-Katrina were also interviewed, and each tells the story about their lives in the years since the hurricane. Ray Nagin
and Mitch Landrieu
, the former and current mayors of New Orleans respectively, were also interviewed, specifically about the portion of the documentary which saw Nagin unseated as mayor after eight years, due to his being ineligible to run for a third term.
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
, as a follow-up to his 2006 HBO documentary film, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. The film looks into the proceeding years since Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
struck the New Orleans and Gulf Coast region
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, and also focuses on the 2010 BP oil spill
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed unabated for three months in 2010, and continues to leak fresh oil. It is the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry...
in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and its effect on the men and women who work along the shores of the gulf. Many of the participants in Levees were also featured in this documentary.
Synopsis
Featured in the documentary are stories about New Orleans' rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, including the shuttering and demolition of four public housing projects in the city. The documentary also goes into the story of how the Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
looked into allegations of brutality and cover-ups within the New Orleans Police Department
New Orleans Police Department
The New Orleans Police Department has primary responsibility for law enforcement in New Orleans, Louisiana. The department's jurisdiction covers all of Orleans Parish, while the city is divided into eight police districts....
.
Another element in the documentary was the NFL's
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, a team long known for losing for the better half of its 43-year history, as they defeated New Orleans native Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
and his Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
, and seeing the region celebrating the victory which took place days prior to the annual Mardi Gras celebration.
Also included were a federal court ruling in February 2009 that held the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
responsible for poor maintenance of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, which caused the flooding of New Orleans and its surrounding communities during Hurricane Katrina. Some native New Orleanians who re-located to the Houston area post-Katrina were also interviewed, and each tells the story about their lives in the years since the hurricane. Ray Nagin
Ray Nagin
Clarence Ray Nagin, Jr. is a former mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Nagin gained international note in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the New Orleans area....
and Mitch Landrieu
Mitch Landrieu
Mitchell Joseph "Mitch" Landrieu is the Mayor of New Orleans, former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, and a member of the Landrieu family. Landrieu is a member of the Democratic Party and a Roman Catholic. He is the son of former New Orleans mayor and Secretary of the United States Department of...
, the former and current mayors of New Orleans respectively, were also interviewed, specifically about the portion of the documentary which saw Nagin unseated as mayor after eight years, due to his being ineligible to run for a third term.
Interviewees
(partial list)- Shelton "Shakespear" Alexander, New Orleans native, rapper, and poet
- Terence BlanchardTerence BlanchardTerence Oliver Blanchard is an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, arranger, and film score composer. Since he emerged on the scene in 1980 with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and then shortly thereafter with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Blanchard has been a leading artist in jazz...
, New Orleans-based Grammy-winning jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician - Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, former governor of Louisiana (2004–2008)
- Douglas BrinkleyDouglas BrinkleyDouglas Brinkley is an American author, professor of history at Rice University and a fellow at the James Baker Institute for Public Policy. Brinkley is the history commentator for CBS News and a contributing editor to the magazine Vanity Fair...
, Professor of History at Tulane UniversityTulane UniversityTulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
, historian - Karen CarterKaren Carter PetersonKaren Carter Peterson is a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate, representing the 5th District since 2010. She previously served as the representative from District 93 , in the Louisiana House of Representatives and as Speaker Pro Tempore...
, New Orleans politician, member of the Louisiana State LegislatureLouisiana State LegislatureThe Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators... - Bobby JindalBobby JindalPiyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, governor of Louisiana (2008–present) - Mitch LandrieuMitch LandrieuMitchell Joseph "Mitch" Landrieu is the Mayor of New Orleans, former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, and a member of the Landrieu family. Landrieu is a member of the Democratic Party and a Roman Catholic. He is the son of former New Orleans mayor and Secretary of the United States Department of...
, mayor of New Orleans (2010–present) - Phyllis Montana LeBlanc, New Orleans native and actress
- Dr. Calvin MackieCalvin MackieCalvin Mackie is an award-winning mentor, motivational speaker, and successful entrepreneur. He is the older brother of actor Anthony Mackie.- Education :...
, Mechanical Engineering Faculty-Tulane UniversityTulane UniversityTulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
and Founder of Channel Zero; also appointed to Louisiana Recovery AuthorityLouisiana Recovery AuthorityThe Louisiana Recovery Authority is the governmental body created in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita by Governor Kathleen Blanco to plan for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana... - Jacques Morial, brother of former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial and community activist
- Marc MorialMarc MorialMarc Haydel Morial is an American political and civic leader and the current president of the National Urban League. Morial served as mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana from 1994 to 2002. He is married to Michelle Miller, who has won awards as a CBS News Correspondent.- Early life and educations...
, former mayor of New Orleans (1994–2002) - Ray NaginRay NaginClarence Ray Nagin, Jr. is a former mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Nagin gained international note in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the New Orleans area....
, former mayor of New Orleans (2002–2010) - Annise ParkerAnnise ParkerAnnise Danette Parker is an American politician and the mayor of Houston since January 2, 2010. She served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and city controller from 2004 to 2009...
, mayor of Houston, Texas (2010–present) - Sean PennSean PennSean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
, actor and activist - Wendell PierceWendell PierceWendell Pierce is an American actor, best known for his work in HBO dramas, including his portrayal of Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire and trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme.-Life and career:...
, New Orleans native and actor - Brad PittBrad PittWilliam Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
, actor and activist - Garland RobinetteGarland RobinetteGarland Robinette is a journalist in the New Orleans area. He currently is host of "The Think Tank" on New Orleans radio station WWL ....
, New Orleans journalist and radio host