The Great Flood

Synopsis

In April 1927 the Mississippi River broke its banks in 145 locations, flooding 27,000 square miles of land. Thousands of sharecroppers were displaced and the devastation was unthinkable, even in light of current tragedies. It was the most destructive river flood in American history. Director Bill Morrison and composer-musician Bill Frisell have combined to create a dream-like and utterly haunting documentary, and THE GREAT FLOOD is unlike any other doc you have seen. Using no spoken words and minimal text to introduce the film’s thematic segments, the film crafts a narrative out of pure vision and sound. Tapping into an astounding wealth of archival footage and wrapping it in an evocative and original jazz soundtrack, the film compels you to witness these horrific events as pure feeling, a shared experience. This disaster was a pivotal moment in American history. As the incredible and rare footage unfolds, some pristine and some decayed, this milestone event narrates itself within each viewer as they participate in this unique and moving documentary experience.

Director Biography

Bill Morrison was born in Chicago in 1965. He is a writer, cinematographer, producer, actor, and director. He has made a number of award-winning experimental and documentary shorts as well as feature length documentaries.