Film Reveiw #2

                                                My Louisiana Love

The film My Louisiana Love, directed by Sharon Linezo Hong is a documentary that follows the journey of a descendant of the Houma Indians named Michelle Verdin as she and her family struggle to redefine their way of life after Hurricane Katrina. The documentary was released in 2013 and is fifty-nine minutes long. It shows what life was like for the Native people whose traditions and way of earning money were ruined by Hurricane Katrina and the oil industry. The purpose of the film is to inform the public about the reality of environmental injustice in Native communities and communities of color in Louisiana.

    The beginning opens with video footage of Verdin and a family member fishing in the delta and older photographs of she and her family members. There is solemn music playing and there is audio of Verdin speaking. She discusses the day she was born and her early childhood in Louisiana. The film is made up of a series of photos, home videos, and maps. Then she talks about having to move to Pensacola, Florida after her parents divorced, but thirteen years later she returned to Louisiana to live with her grandmother. The main events highlighted in the documentary are Verdin returning to Louisiana connecting back to the traditions of the Houma Indians through her grandmother, but all of that is threatened as man-made disasters cause destruction to their community. She experiences the loss of her home, tradition, her father, and boyfriend. Michelle Verdin finds herself delving more into environmental activism as she gives the Native American perspective of Louisiana’s environmental crisis.

    The director achieved their job in informing and bringing attention to the environmental injustice in the indigenous Native American community caused by the oil industry. Their practices are causing detrimental damage to the environment and the existence of the indigenous culture. The usage of the different types of digital media gave the film a glimpse into the raw emotion and reality of the people affected. The home videos and narration made the documentary more personalized and intimate, which gave it the ability to evoke empathy and inspiration. The film displays inspiring levels of courage, sense of community, and drive. The persistence and unwillingness to give up their home, traditions, and faith cause an overwhelming effect.

    This film inspired me to become as concerned about the environmental and social wellness of my community as Verdin is. Her ability to advocate for environmental justice during times of great loss and frustration is inspiring. My Louisiana Love is extremely informative it providing an up-close and personal glimpse into the trauma and survival of a culture. I Was enthralled by the formatting and deliverance of the information in the film. I felt a connection with the loss of their homes and the displacement of family because it was something experienced as well.  I would give this documentary an A-plus, and I would definitely recommend it to others. I believe that this film is a must-see for residents of Louisiana in order to understand the extent of the damage that environmental injustice causes to communities, especially the communities that are considered virtually invisible.