Friday, November 5 | 9:00 pm - 11:30 pm

The Friday night documentary film festival has become an Institute tradition. This year we are exploring the importance of place and struggle in New Orleans through a not-yet-released innovative film!  Evan Casper-Futterman, a member of the filmmaking team, will lead a short discussion after the screening.

Land of Opportunity

A documentary by Luisa Dantas, 2010

Archbishop Desmond Tutu famously remarked, "We live in a world of Katrinas". In the five years since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, communities all over the world have struggled to recover from disaster, whether economic, natural or man-made. LAND OF OPPORTUNITY, a character-driven documentary, interweaves the stories of a diverse group of people as they struggle to rebuild their lives in post-Katrina New Orleans. Epic and intimate, this film follows a highly engaging and sympathetic cast of characters over a period of four and a half years. From the urban planner to the immigrant worker to the public housing resident, our protagonists hail from different walks of life but share a stake in the rebirth of this beloved city. Through their eyes, we experience the struggles and triumphs of ordinary people living in an extraordinary time.

On the one hand, the reconstruction of New Orleans has provided ample opportunities for those seeking profit and power. On the other, it has galvanized ordinary citizens to get engaged and fight for the future of their communities. Our protagonists come from both ends of this complex spectrum. Their personal stories reveal tensions between the haves and the have-nots that characterize an urban America increasingly divided by race and class. As these compelling people navigate the rocky terrain of the rebuilding process, we walk a mile in their shoes, engaging with timely issues of housing, immigration, and community planning and development that show how New Orleans is a bellwether for the future of cities across the country. LAND OF OPPORTUNITY asks viewers to ponder what the rebuilding of New Orleans can teach them about their own communities. What kinds of cities do we want to create in the 21st century? Will they be truly democratic and diverse spaces or exclusive enclaves designed for tourists and the wealthy?