Desert Bayou (NR)

synopsis

In the wake of one of the worst natural and humanitarian disasters ever to visit American shores, nearly 600 African Americans were airlifted to the almost entirely white state of Utah… without their knowledge. "Desert Bayou" is more than a Hurricane Katrina documentary, it seeks to examine whether two cultures can come together in a time of utter chaos, or whether their differences prove too great a challenge to overcome. In their own words evacuees of Hurricane Katrina, tell how they survived the storm of the century and out of the rubble ended up at a military installation in the deserts of Utah. With interviews from recording artist Master P, celebrity Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, evacuees, political and military leaders, and community and social figures, the questions of race, politics and religion hurdle towards each other in this truly American story: A story of loss and reunion, of sorrow and rebirth, of anger and rejoicing, but most of all… a story of hope.