Synopsis

After Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans in August 2005, even music seemed to fade away from the birthplace of jazz. Jazz photographer Leonard Herman lost thousands of photographs in the flood. At 83 years old, Herman had captured iconic images of legendary jazz artists such as Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Frank Sinatra—most of which were stored in his New Orleans home. When he returned after the storm, he found his life's work soaked and ruined. The photographs in their frames were destroyed, with only the centers somewhat preserved. In that moment, Herman felt that not only were his youth and years of devotion to jazz photography washed away, but he also feared something greater: that “the music and spirit of New Orleans might vanish.” Eventually, he decides to relocate his archive to California, but he returns once more to document the struggle and resilience of the people of New Orleans—hoping his work can help reignite the city’s musical soul.

Director

Leslie Woodhead

Leslie Woodhead is one of the UK’s most acclaimed documentary filmmakers, with over 40 years of experience. He is credited with introducing the docudrama style to British television in the 1970s. Based at Granada Television, he has also collaborated with major U.S. networks such as ABC and HBO. He is well known for music documentaries, including The Stones in the Park (1969), which captured a Rolling Stones concert, as well as projects involving Tony Bennett and Randy Newman. His powerful documentary A Cry from the Grave (1999), which explored the Srebrenica massacre, won awards at international festivals such as IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam).