Lights, camera, coastal!

Independent documentary filmmakers have been working for years to explain the complicated dynamics of the Louisiana coast and its restoration, even making the case that such projects are necessary. This list, curated by documentary filmmaker Kevin McCaffrey, showcases medium to feature-length films available to the public, usually at no cost, on streaming services.

Rather than host theater-style film showings, State of the Coast presents these films at the 2025 conference in a way that allows conference-goers to screen them on their own devices and on their own time.

There are many more productions and shorts associated with our coast posted to YouTube, Vimeo and other web portals. Please take time to explore them and learn what’s at stake!

Title	Length	Year	Synopsis
20 strange things found in the Wetlands of Louisiana	27m		If you thought that Louisiana was all about Mardi Gras and voodoo, think again. This place is full of fascinating and vital animals, plants and history. These are 20 Strange Things Found In The Wetlands of Louisiana.
Are Tax Breaks paying off?	9m		Louisiana’s abundant natural resources represent enormous wealth, yet the state consistently ranks at or near the bottom nationally for many quality-of-life indicators. Like other states, Louisiana grants tax exemptions to businesses it wants to attract, but some are questioning whether its unusually high rate of corporate subsidy is really paying off. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports.
Atchafalaya	27m	1977/redigitized	Atchafalaya (Uh-CHAF-ah-lie-ah) Swamp Revisited chronicles famed Louisiana nature photographer CC Lockwood’s return to America’s largest swamp wilderness, thirty years after his acclaimed Atchafalaya book (1981) and National Geographic article (1979). Sadly, Lockwood finds the most interesting and threatened species in the swamp have vanished. The story takes a sharp historical turn by exploring the degree to which the Atchafalaya Swamp has changed -naturally and culturally – since the great flood of 1927, while revealing an account of one of America’s last and most intriguing frontier communities.
Atchafalaya Swamp Revisited (2004 Red digitize)	27m	2004	Atchafalaya (Uh-CHAF-ah-lie-ah) Swamp Revisited chronicles famed Louisiana nature photographer CC Lockwood’s return to America’s largest swamp wilderness, thirty years after his acclaimed Atchafalaya book (1981) and National Geographic article (1979). Sadly, Lockwood finds the most interesting and threatened species in the swamp have vanished. The story takes a sharp historical turn by exploring the degree to which the Atchafalaya Swamp has changed -naturally and culturally – since the great flood of 1927, while revealing an account of one of America’s last and most intriguing frontier communities.
Belle River	11m		As a result of climate change, one Louisiana town faces extinction. A short documentary, directed by Guillaume Fournier, Samuel Matteau, and Yannick Nolin, tells the story.
Below The Flood Gate	23m	2019	Vulnerable to flooding and excluded from protective measures, the residents of a coastal Louisiana community hold firmly to their way of life.
Born On The Bayou	22m	2018
Capturing Louisiana’s Disappearing Wetlands	10m		Photographer Ben Depp’s quest to chronicle the disappearance of Louisiana’s wetlands is beautifully documented in this film, “On a Wing and a Prayer.” You are taken flying high with Depp as he pilots his powered paraglider—an ultralight aircraft consisting of a paragliding “wing,” a harness and a motor attached to his back.
Curated Conversation about Ben Depp’s photo documentation	20m		Listen to a Curated Conversation between Ogden Museum Curator of Photography Richard McCabe and photographer Ben Depp. Depp discusses his artistic practice and unique photography technique; use of a hang glider to capture aerial views of the rapidly declining Louisiana coast.
Eternal Flow	90m	2022	Historic Icon, Working Waterway, Mythic Surge, Sustainable Fountain, Healing Resource, Magical Inspiration, the Mississippi River is often depicted as a Romantic Construct taken from the minds of so many people. We expect nostalgic images of steamboats and river fronts from “days of yore.” For those who live on and near the River today, those filmy images from literature and music fog over the current every day experience and images of the River, no more effluent along its shores than in Louisiana. Or do they? The movie Eternal Flow looks at today’s Mississippi River through the eyes of those who have their own profoundly personal history with the River, and who carry large lessons from it, as resources for living their lives. What emerges is a community that may even only now discover it is a community. Never overlooking the day to day past, present, and future workings of the Great River, this is the ever emerging community of flow. Finding Common Ground uses documentary film techniques to show how all those impacted by coastal erosion can cross over out of their silos, overcome long term psychological barriers, and achieve new understanding that may fast track restoration projects to build much needed new ground.
Finding Common Ground	90m	2019	Louisiana’s struggle to restore Louisiana’s Mississippi River Delta has resulted in a new Master Plan that embraces new advances in scientific knowledge— new tools for rebuilding the coast. Local, traditional ecological knowledge can also be a tool for cost saving planning.
Goodbye Louisiana (1982)	58m	1982	In Goodbye Louisiana, NOVA explores the delicate balance of nature and human intervention in the Mississippi River and its profound impact on the Louisiana delta. Scientists, engineers, and environmentalists examine the devastating consequences of tampering with the river, from loss of wildlife to the destruction of human communities. This gripping episode takes you through the rising concerns over the health of the delta and its ecosystems, showing how the region’s survival depends on drastic change.
Hollow Tree	74m	2023
Homeland/Wetland	11m	2021	Us local filmmakers lay out the past 100 years of man v. nature in the Louisiana Homeland/Wetland and extrapolate into the future both grim and heroic possibilities.
Hurricane On The Bayou (Amazon PPV)	42m	2006
In The Blind PBS ppv	57m	2020	“In The Blind” is a documentary that explores the traditions and culture of waterfowl hunting in Louisiana’s Sportsman’s Paradise, focusing on the Miller Hunting Club and its generations-long history. It also highlights the role of the sport in global conservation efforts, particularly in preserving waterfowl populations and habitats. The documentary aims to show how hunting traditions have been passed down through families and how these traditions reflect the rich outdoor heritage of Louisiana.
Invasive Species in Louisiana	36m	2022	Join the LSU AgCenter for a special live talk on invasive species in Louisiana and the research being done to help with management efforts, assess impacts and develop new detection techniques. Speakers will include: -Glen Gentry, LSU AgCenter animal scientist -Rodrigo Diaz, LSU AgCenter entomologist -Michael Kaller, LSU AgCenter researcher specialized in fish & stream ecology Invasive species discussed will include feral pigs, giant salvinia, Asian carp and more.
Iron Sharpens Iron	24m	2022	“Iron Sharpens Iron” chronicles Ironton’s fight against the development of the Plaquemines Liquids Terminal (PLT) atop the community’s ancestral burial grounds, as well as the destruction wrought by Hurricane Ida.
Isle of Memories	12m	2022	On the edge of Louisiana’s changing coastline is a tribe of Native Americans facing migration from their traditional island home for generations. An oral historian from the University of Lafayette has been working with them for the last few years to help them save traditions, stories and genealogies to preserve their community.
Keepers of the Mound	17m	2018	KEEPERS OF THE MOUND follows the families and scientists who work to protect and care for an ancient burial mound in Dulac, Louisiana. The Solets are citizens of the United Houma Nation, and the mound adjacent to their home is a personal, cultural and spiritual landmark to them. These mounds, which are some of the only examples of pre-infrastructural building, are rare and archaeologically valuable, but threatened by land loss, climate change and sea level rise. KEEPERS OF THE MOUNDS poses questions about how value is determined on places and communities in the fight to protect and preserve our coast. Directed by Katie Mathews, Camera Justin Zweifach, Sound Lukas Gonzales, Edit Paavo Hanninen.
King Crawfish	48m	2010	In King Crawfish, we watch the Cajun spirit being poured out on a communal table even as the wild harvest is diminishing. At the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival we see everthing Cajuns value take to the stage: their language, music, food, and crawfishl. As the film traces the thousands of pounds of crawfish served up at the festival to their natural habitat, the Atchafalaya Basin, fishermen from Catahoula tel stories of their fight to retain their way of life. It is an old story in Louisiana: the pople and land suffer from the exploitation of the oil companies. What is at stake is the loss of the most productive swamp in the world and the people’s connection to that land. The Louisiana Coastal Master Plan was first created by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority in 2007 to ensure some action was taken to curb the land loss and restore the coast. The Master Plan is a 50 year, $50 Billion plan that is updated every six years to look at what is working and what isn’t. In January, the latest update of the plan was released, and will be voted on for approval in the upcoming legislative session. But what exactly is the Louisiana Master Plan, and how does it affect you?
La Spotlight: The Cost of Coastal Restoration	57m	2023	Louisiana is in the midst of a land loss crisis that has claimed over 2,000 square miles of land since 1930; equivalent to the size of Delaware. It is estimated that Louisiana will lose another 4,000 square miles of land over the next 50 years if no action is taken. Louisiana Spotlight takes a deep dive into the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan, and what it means for the future of our state. “The Cost of Coastal Restoration” explores these issues and more.
Lafitte 2068: No Place To Call Home	14m	2019	Directed by Jean Lafitte youth filmmaker Emerson Boutte, this short documentary explores coastal erosion in her hometown of Lafitte, and what it means to the young people growing up there today. It explores the challenges the youth and future generations of Lafitte are facing regarding land loss occurring and potentially losing their town.
Last Call For The Bayou	shorts		Libraries of short videos
Last Call For The Bayou 101	11m	2020	Aerial landscape photographer Ben Depp documents Louisiana’s disappearing Mississippi River Delta from above, in motorized paraglider. His focus is the barrier islands, a thin chain of sandy islands that provide habitat for migratory birds and protect coastal communities against storm and tidal flooding. Unfortunately, the islands are eroding at a rapid rate, putting the coast at risk. Ben’s images serve as a memorial to this vanishing landscape, documenting restoration efforts that may turn the tide and setbacks that may sink the region.
Last Call For the Bayou: Mud and Fear	12m	2020	Dr. Alex Kolker is on a mission. For the last decade, he has been working with Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium to study subsidence and sea level rise in an effort to understand whether restoration will be sufficient to stem the loss of land along coastal Louisiana. Join him and his team as they walk us through their current water diversion projects and whether or not they are having the desired impact. Find out how New Orleans is sinking and what the state has planned to save its cherished city and coast.
L’Eau Est L’Vie (Water Is Life)	25m	2019	On the banks of Louisiana, fierce Indigenous women are ready to fight—to stop the corporate blacksnake and preserve their way of life. They are risking everything to protect Mother Earth from the predatory fossil fuel companies that seek to poison it.
Life On The Edge	27m	2020	One of the most ecologically diverse regions on the planet, Louisiana is home to over 600 species of rare plants and animals and about 40% of the nation’s coastal wetlands in the lower 48 states. With a rich diversity of habitats from upland forests to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico and everything in-between, including longleaf pine forests, cypress swamps, prairies, freshwater marsh and sandy beaches, this region provides homes for an abundance of migratory and year-round wildlife. Nearly 40% of the nation’s shorebirds, raptors and songbirds and 70% of ducks move through this rich coastal delta. But many species are on the edge of extinction due to loss of habitat and changes brought on by humans. Meet a few of the many relatively unknown creatures struggling for survival like the Louisiana pine snake and the gopher tortoise, and get to know the people behind the scenes working tirelessly to save them. Discover how two of America’s most iconic species, the American bald eagle and the American alligator were brought back from the edge, and why sustainable management is essential to the future of these and countless other species. Discover how new technology and scientific understanding is helping to protect this wildlife and its critical habitat for generations to come, and how their survival is tied to our own. Narrator: John Goodman
Locked	15m	2018	Local Urban Ecologist Dr. Josh Lewis tells the one hundred year tumultuous history of the Industrial Canal and Lock tha dissect the infamous 9th Ward of New Orleans. He describes the wide reaching effects of how Louisiana does water borne transportation and succinctly outlines how business elites, the Port of New Orleans and the Army Corps of Engineers used irresponsible urban planning that caused repeated catastrophic flooding in the Greater New Orleans region for over a century. The film includes dramatic hundred-year-old historical moving pictures depicting events unfolding as citizens experienced them at the time of happening and lays out how the various affected communities have been resisting the destruction of life and land for decades.
Loren Klein Soc Studies Series		ongoing	I’m an award-winning science and social studies teacher from Louisiana, and I want to share my lessons with the world. Oh, and I wear a lab coat to work every day. Most videos are from my flipped classroom. The older Earth Science and World History videos are great… but they’re also based on a textbook. The newer videos are created and developed myself, and align to NCSS (Social Studies) and NGSS (Science). If you want to purchase the materials, check out my TeachersPayTeachers page: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Loren-Klein. There’s plenty more over here, including my Phenomenon Explained (Science) and Little State Big History (Social Studies) series. While they’re Louisiana-focused, anyone anywhere can learn about the world from them.
Louisiana Dread series of videos	shorts	ongoing	Libraries of short videos
Louisiana’s Salt Grass Ducks	20m		Duck Hunting at Honey Brake Lodge is a good example of a sponsored video by Ducks Unlimited
Managing Risk in a Changing Climate	26m	2016	Climate change poses real threats that call for tough choices under deep uncertainty. Louisiana has been called “the canary in the coal mine” for climate impacts as it reports rates of relative sea level rise among the highest in the world as more and more land disappears into the Gulf of Mexico. The public television documentary Managing Risk in a Changing Climate examines how Louisiana decision makers engage with researchers and stakeholders to inform choices about how to manage risks driven by changing sea levels and storms. Featuring some of the nation’s leading climate experts and narrated by Peter Coyote, Managing Risk in a Changing Climate examines one of humanity’s most pressing challenges through the lens of the many academic disciplines needed to address the impacts and surrounding economic, social, and environmental issues that come with managing risk in a changing climate. Scientists and policymakers have identified the potential for Earth systems threshold responses, or “tipping points,” that will potentially cause dramatic climate impacts. A melting of the Greenland ice sheet, for example, would cause sea-level rise that could threaten the sustainability of low-lying regions like the Louisiana lower Mississippi delta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfwVPxzBWCg&list=PLxmx4DntRnhauYAvjbf9TyVQXpi6rDYGD&index=7	74m	2020	Mossville, Louisiana was founded by former slaves and was a thriving safe haven for African-American families until giant petrochemical plants started poisoning the residents and forcing them off their land.
MRGOing, Going Gone?	57m	2013	The history and disappointment of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet and its environmental impact during the Katrina event.
MUTED: Climate Marginalization in America	81m	2024	“Muted” takes viewers on an extraordinary journey through the Deep South, where generations of local knowledge, history, and culture are threatened by climate change. This thought-provoking documentary explores the untold truths, hidden pain, and unshakeable fear that haunts rural, underserved people in communities across America. As their future looms in uncertainty, people from communities that have never been trusted, acknowledged, or respected fight to be heard in the climate resilience space.
My Louisiana Love	65m	2012	My Louisiana Love traces a young woman’s quest to find a place in her Native American community as it reels from decades of environmental degradation. Monique Verdin returns to Southeast Louisiana to reunite with her Houma Nation family. But soon she sees that her people’s traditional way of life is threatened by a cycle of man-made environmental crises. Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil leak are just the latest rounds in this century-old cycle that is forcing Monique’s clan to adapt in new ways. Monique must overcome the loss of her home, her father, and her partner – and redefine the meaning of home.
On Our Watch	56m	2019	On Our Watch is a feature length documentary that examines Louisiana’s coastal land loss crisis through the eyes of its local residents, community leaders, and experts.
On Our Watch	57m	2019	On Our Watch is a feature length documentary that examines Louisiana’s coastal land loss crisis through the eyes of its local residents, community leaders, and experts.
Restoring Louisiana’s Coast	51m	2021	A great example of a film and ZOOM discussion moderated by Helen Rose Patterson and Alisha Renfrow of Restore The Mississippi River DElta Organization.
Resurgence	46m	2023	The film follows Hurricane Ida through the eyes of those in Lafourche, Terrebonne and Grand Isle, featuring stories from residents, government officials, community leaders and meteorologists. The documentary was produced by Nicholls State University’s Andrew Liang and Vesna Dies with a grant from the Bayou Community Foundation’s Bayou Recovery Fund for Hurricane Ida Relief.
Rising From Crisis	8m	2023	In this insightful film, Daniel Songy, a lifelong resident of coastal Louisiana, shares a compelling narrative about the challenges and urgent issues facing his beloved homeland. As a region grappling with severe coastal erosion, land loss, and escalating flood risks, Daniel sheds light on the profound impacts of human decisions, climate change, and rising sea levels. The film explores the critical role of science and engineering in Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan, with a focus on the groundbreaking Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project. This ambitious initiative aims to restore wetlands and safeguard the coast by harnessing the natural power of the Mississippi River. Through Daniel’s perspective, viewers gain a deeper appreciation for the environmental significance of this coastal region, likened to a national treasure that demands preservation and protection.
Saving Louisiana’s Coast	15m	2013	An articulation of the issues by JCW Creative productions.
Several La related long & short			Libraries of short videos
Station 15	15m	2017	High school student and poet, Chasity Hunter, experienced intense flooding in her New Orleans neighborhood during both Hurricane Katrina and recent summer rainstorms. Inspired to find out how safe her city really is, she investigates her city’s infrastructure and questions water experts, finding her own voice along the way.
The Environment 2005 (LPB Public Square)	58m	2005	This episode of the series “Louisiana Public Square” from May 18, 2005, features Charles Zewe leading a discussion between the audience members and panelists on the impact of the petrochemical industry on Louisiana’s environment. A background report on the topic precedes the discussion. It includes interviews with: Kenneth Ford, an environmental activist in Chalmette; Anne Rolfes of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade; Nora Scheller of Chalmette Refining; Willie Fontenot, a former liaison officer with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office; Dr. Jimmy Guidry, the State Health Officer; Les Ann Kirkland, an environmental activist in Iberville Parish; and Dane Rivette of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development. The audience members then discuss their concerns about air and water pollution and the possible long-term health implications for the people of Louisiana. A panel of experts then joins the audience to answer their questions. The panelists are: Karen Gautreaux, the deputy secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality; Dan Borne, the president of the Louisiana Chemical Association; and Marylee Orr, the executive director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network. They discuss: environmental monitoring; the concerns about toxic emissions from chemical plants; class action lawsuits against chemical companies; building coalitions between industry, government, and the public; the efforts to minimize emissions; water pollution; and their strategies for improving Louisiana’s environment. Hosts: Beth Courtney and Charles Zewe
The Precipice (PBS PPV)		2023	The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe is a community on the precipice, fighting to save their homes, their culture, their language, and their very way of life against two immense forces: the government and climate change. This LPB Louisiana Spotlight film explores the challenges they face and reveals the battles they’ve won. Go to https://theprecipice.lpb.org/ for additional details.
The River	30m	1938	The classic 1938 Pare Lorentz documentary showing America’s attitude towards rivers and the environment.
Theodore Conservation Partnerships: Mid Barataria Diversion		2017	The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is working with the Louisiana Coastal Protection Restoration Authority to start the building of the first ever sediment diversion. By using the Mississippi river to deposit sediment, in strategic areas, we can stop losing land and start the rebuilding process.
This Land	4m	2023	Ben Depp’s aerial wetlands view from the paraglider along with his narration and point of iew.
Troubled Waters: History of Manchac	20m	2018	Through a partnership with the Southeastern Louisiana University Foundation, Entergy’s Environmental Initiative Fund helped enhance the Turtle Cove Environmental Research Station located in Manchac, La. Tune-in to the university’s award-winning television channel for a compelling video history lesson, titled “Troubled Waters,” and learn about the plans for helping restore these critical wetlands.
Turning The Tide	90m		A 2011 documentary that examines the causes of coastal erosion in Louisiana, the proposed strategies for coastal restoration, and the competing interests in the region that rely on the coastal zone for survival. This program looks at the man-made causes of coastal erosion, including oil and gas extraction, canal cutting, deforestation, and the intentional drainage of swamplands for development, as well as natural causes, like subsidence, storms, and rising rivers and seas. It also explores multiple strategies for addressing the problem, including reengineering the mouth of the Mississippi River, using dredged sediment from the river, and other effective shoreline, barrier island, and marsh restoration techniques, as well as the heavily criticized plans for increased levee construction. It also features examples of successful restoration projects, including: the creation of marsh land due to the 2011 Mississippi River Flood; the National Audubon Society’s small-scale dredging project at the Paul J. Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary; back filling canals at the Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve; and a pipeline sediment project at Bayou Dupont. It also examines the lessons learned from other nations facing similar issues, including the Netherlands. Through the creations of sand artist Joe Castillo, this documentary also touches on the impact of coastal land loss on the way of life for the United Houma Nation, Cajuns, the people of New Orleans, and coastal residents. Narrator: Chuck Perkins
Vanishing Pearls (Netflix PPV)	80m		The Oystermen of Pointe a la Hache, Louisiana. This town of nearly 300 is struggling to survive following the BP Oil Spill that left their crop dead, finances in ruin and culture facing extinction. This community has a history of being overlooked by the State, and therefore, are taking matters into their own hands, to assure their voice is heard so that they may not otherwise vanish.
Washing Away	56m	2006	A 2006 documentary chronicling the lives of six Louisianans as they struggle to rebuild their lives in the year following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The Louisianans are: Kerry St. Pe of Raceland, a marine biologist and the director of the Barataria Terrebonne National Estuary Program; Marlon Horton of New Orleans, a bounce artist known as “10th Ward Buck”; Errol Domingue of Erath, a third generation farmer; Preston Dore of Delcambre, a shrimper and owner of Seafood Express Restaurant; Ted Falgout of Larose, an alligator farmer and the director of Port Fourchon; and Leah Chase of New Orleans, a chef and co-owner of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. The documentary also focuses on Louisiana’s lack of natural defenses against hurricanes due to the erosion of a large portion of its wetlands and barrier islands, as well as the impact of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita on the state’s agriculture, seafood, and oil and gas industries. Narrator: Susan Sarandon
Water Like Stone	76m	2014	WATER LIKE STONE is a documentary portrait of the people who live in Louisiana’s vanishing wetlands. Through charming and intimate encounters with fishermen, shrimpers, and lifelong residents of the region, the film shines a light on the cultural consequences of environmental decay and the human spirit necessary to live in a land that is slowly washing away.
Wax Lake Delta (segment from Eternal Flow)	9m	2022	The dynamics of Wax Lake Delta, the only naturally building delta in America, on the Atchafalaya River.
What Remains (How Oysters Can Save)	13m	2022	In “What Remains,” the director Paavo Hanninen shows the importance of recycling oyster shells in keeping Louisiana’s coastal towns above water.
			From learning to live and thrive in the face of repeated disasters to reconciling the racism that makes certain people more expendable, “Muted” delves deep into the narratives that define who we are and where we are heading. Through breathtaking visuals, expert interviews, and personal accounts, we unveil the remarkable tapestry of human achievement, resilience, and discovery.