In the wake of Hurricane Katrina Spike Lee traveled to the Gulf Coast region to craft what he describes as a “film document” of the tragic events. Composed in four acts, When the Levees Broke is sweeping in its scope, chronicling inept pre-storm preparations, failed responses by FEMA and other government agencies, the devastating impact on the city’s residents, and the possibility of a hopeful future for New Orleans. Despite the palpable anger of Lee’s tone he remains largely off-camera, allowing the city’s mostly African-American residents to give voice to their dire circumstances.