As we approach the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Netflix is set to release a powerful documentary series that revisits the tragedy and its lasting impact on New Orleans.
Watch the Trailer for ‘Katrina: Come Hell and High Water’
EXCLUSIVE: By the end of the week, we could witness our first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, as Tropical Storm Erin gains strength. This could signal a challenging hurricane season ahead, yet it’s hard to imagine any destruction eclipsing the tragedy of 2005.
The Impact of Hurricane Katrina
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, leading to levee failures that flooded the city’s lower elevations, claiming approximately 1,200 lives and irrevocably altering countless others. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of this disaster, Netflix will debut the three-part documentary series Katrina: Come Hell and High Water on August 27. This series is produced by the team behind When the Levees Broke, featuring directors Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha Knowles, and Spike Lee, with Alisa Payne as showrunner and producer, alongside executive producers Spike Lee, Sam Pollard, and Geeta Gandbhir.
Trailer Insights
Watch the series trailer above, showcasing testimonies from those who endured the nightmare. “I woke up, my neighborhood had 20 feet of water,” recalls actor and New Orleans native Wendell Pierce in the trailer. Another survivor shares, “I put my first granddaughter on the roof, turned around to get her two sisters, and she fell into the water and disappeared.”
The trailer poignantly states, “20 years later, this isn’t a retelling; it’s a reckoning.”
A Gripping Narrative
The synopsis reveals, “This is the story of a brutal coastal hurricane turned cataclysmic through human error and neglect. Across three gripping episodes, the people of New Orleans recount their past, celebrate their present, and lean into the future of what they and their beloved city survived and have become 20 years later. The series exposes the systemic governmental neglect that left the city defenseless against the storm and highlights Katrina’s devastating impact that changed New Orleans irreparably. Detailed, harrowing, and triumphant first-person accounts, alongside never-before-seen archives, illustrate the magnitude of Katrina and the aftermath of the levees breaking.”
Addressing Racial Dimensions
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water marks the inaugural project for Message Pictures, a new production company founded by Geeta Gandbhir, Alisa Payne, and Sam Pollard. Their next project will be The Perfect Neighbor, acquired by Netflix after winning the Directing Award for U.S. Documentary at Sundance.
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The series does not shy away from exploring the racial dimensions of the disaster and its aftermath. “Systemic choices were made to isolate the people and take away their land,” observed showrunner-producer Alisa Payne. “New Orleans, an 80% Black city, has a unique culture that attracts people worldwide. However, after Katrina, there was a lack of support because of its demographics. We must learn from Katrina to prevent similar tragedies in the future.”
Focusing on Community
Payne emphasized, “We want to focus on the people and the community. When we lose sight of individuals, everyone suffers. This series is more timely than ever as we discuss who deserves assistance and advocate for government accountability.”
Watch the trailer for Katrina: Come Hell and High Water above.
