A new documentary series about Hurricane Katrina is coming to Netflix. Katrina: Come Hell and High Water will be released on August 27, 2025. This date marks twenty years since the storm hit New Orleans. The series has three parts. It tells the story of the hurricane and its aftermath through the eyes of survivors. Directors Spike Lee, Geeta Gandbhir, and Samantha Knowles worked on the project. They show how the storm caused great damage and how it changed people’s lives forever.
The documentary uses interviews with people who lived through the disaster. It also shows never before seen video from that time. The goal is to give a full picture of what happened. The series talks about the problems with the levees that broke and flooded the city. It also looks at how the government handled the situation. Many people believe that mistakes made by officials made the disaster worse. The documentary does not avoid these hard topics.
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water is produced by Message Pictures. This is a new production company. Alisa Payne is the showrunner. She worked with the directors to make sure the stories of survivors are heard. The series will be available only on Netflix. Viewers need a subscription to watch it. Netflix offers different plans starting at $7.99 per month.
What Is the Documentary About?
The series focuses on Hurricane Katrina and its impact twenty years later. It explains how the storm started and how it grew into a powerful hurricane. When it reached New Orleans, the levees could not hold the water. These levees were built to protect the city from flooding. But they broke in several places. This caused about 80% of the city to be underwater. Many people lost their homes. More than one thousand people died. The damage cost over one hundred billion dollars.
The documentary lets survivors tell their own stories. They share their memories of the storm and the days that followed. They talk about losing family members and friends. They explain how they struggled to find food, water, and safety. The series also shows how the city has changed since then. Some areas have been rebuilt. But many people never returned. The film asks important questions about why certain communities suffered more than others.
“I woke up, my neighborhood had 20 feet of water,” says 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.”
These quotes show the emotional weight of the documentary. It is not just about facts and numbers. It is about real people and their experiences.
Who Is Involved in the Project?
Spike Lee is one of the directors and executive producers. He also made a documentary about Katrina in 2006 called When the Levees Broke. That film was well received. It showed the immediate aftermath of the hurricane. This new series looks at how things have changed twenty years later. Geeta Gandbhir and Samantha Knowles are also directors. Gandbhir has won awards for her documentary work. Knowles is known for focusing on stories about race and social justice.
Alisa Payne is the showrunner and producer. She has worked with Spike Lee before. She says that this project is very important. It helps us remember what happened and learn from it. She hopes that by understanding the past, we can avoid making the same mistakes in the future. The team spent a lot of time talking to survivors. They wanted to make sure their stories were told correctly.
The documentary includes interviews with many people from New Orleans. This includes residents, first responders, and community leaders. Wendell Pierce is one of the main interviewees. He is an actor who grew up in New Orleans. He has spoken often about how the hurricane affected his city.
Why Is This Documentary Important?
Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst natural disasters in American history. But it was also a disaster made worse by human actions. The levees were not strong enough. The government was slow to respond. Many people felt that help did not come quickly enough. Some communities were hit harder because they were poorer. Often, these were Black neighborhoods. The documentary talks about these inequalities.
By looking back after twenty years, the series shows what has changed and what has not. Some things in New Orleans are better. But some problems still exist. The documentary also reminds us that climate change is making storms stronger. Cities need to be prepared. If we ignore the lessons from Katrina, similar disasters could happen again.
“Our point of view is that, for a number of reasons, prior to Katrina, during Katrina in the immediate aftermath, and now 20 years later, systemic choices were made and continue to be made to isolate the people and take away their land,” said showrunner Alisa Payne.
This statement highlights the ongoing issues the documentary explores.
How Can viewers Watch It?
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water will be available on Netflix starting August 27, 2025. All three episodes will be released at the same time. This means viewers can watch the entire series in one day if they choose. The series is rated TV-MA. This means it is for mature audiences. It might contain content that is not suitable for children under 17.
Netflix is available in most countries. But the documentary might not be available in all regions at the same time. Viewers should check their local Netflix library. The documentary can be watched on any device that supports Netflix. This includes smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs.
What Are People Saying About It?
Early reviews of the series are positive. Critics say that the documentary is powerful and emotional. They praise the directors for letting the survivors tell their stories. They also appreciate the use of old footage and new interviews. The series does not try to hide the truth. It shows the good and the bad. It is a tribute to the strength of the people of New Orleans.
The Guardian called the series a “part elegy, part polemic commemoration”. This means it is both a sad remembrance and a strong opinion piece. It honors those who were lost but also criticizes the failures that made things worse.
The series is already getting attention on social media. Many people are sharing the trailer and talking about the anniversary. For those who lived through Katrina, it is a chance to share their stories. For others, it is a way to learn about an important event in history.
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Credits: Netflix Tudum, Deadline
