AllMovie

The children of New Orleans' crime-ridden Central City neighborhood offer viewers an illuminating portrait of urban youth in crisis with this documentary that shows a side of the city that adults are loathe to discuss, and film crews are terrified to penetrate. It started as a free arts program, and quickly transcended the classroom. Artists Gabriel Nussbaum and Elizabeth Wood wanted to give students a creative means of expressing their feelings about Hurricane Katrina, teaching a documentary film class at Singleton Charter School and providing the kids with video cameras so that they could tell their own stories. The result is an eye-opening trip through New Orleans' darkened streets, flooded homes, and crumbling housing projects. Role models are rare in the city, and gun violence is all too common. This is the story of New Orleans as told by the children who witnessed the devastation firsthand, and struggle every day to build a brighter future.