Was Katrina a Man-Made Disaster?

Most people probably know Harry Shearer for his comedic roles (This is Spinal Tap, The Simpsons). But the New Orleans resident has a serious side as well, and like many in New Orleans, he tired of hearing people, especially journalists, refer to the Crescent City’s flood damage after Hurricane Katrina as a “natural disaster.” In an attempt to set the record straight, he responded with a film project to coincide with the storm’s five-year anniversary. His documentary, The Big Uneasy, premieres this Monday, August 30, in theaters around the nation for a one-night run (click here to see a trailer) 

Though everyone has by now seen images of the city's post-storm suffering, Shearer’s film focuses on subsequent investigations into the system that was supposed to protect the city from the Gulf Coast’s seasonal threat—the levees. It takes aim at the role of the Army Corps of Engineers, and while many of the issues raised in the film won’t come as news to Louisiana residents, it paints a much more complex picture than the common shorthand often used in the national discourse.

The single-evening broadcast will take place in select movie theaters in more than thirty states from coast to coast. Visit thebiguneasy.com for more information, theater locations, and showtimes.