It's now been 100 days since BP's oil rig exploded, killing 11 rig workers and setting off a massive crude oil leak. Thankfully, the cap on the well seems to be holding, and if all goes according to plan (a big IF), a relief well will soon enable a permanent end to the spill. Of course, the estimated 92 million gallons of oil that have already leaked into the Gulf of Mexico will continue to affect the area's wildlife, vegetation, and economy for years.
The oil spill also threatens to end indigenous people's ability to live off Louisiana's land and water, as they have for hundreds of years. I am co-producing and editing a film called Under Water's Mercy that follows one Native American family's struggle to maintain their traditional way of life alongside oil and gas industries in Southeast Louisiana. The film is directed by Sharon Linezo Hong, and shot by her and Monique Verdin (who also made the photo above on the Pointe au Chien Bayou). In the film, Monique returns to her Houma community as they face a series of manmade environmental disasters, and gradually finds a sense of purpose as a photographer and storyteller for her people.
This fall, we'll be meeting with potential funders, broadcasters, and distributors who could help us get the film out into the world.