Thin Line Film Fest - “One-Eyed Girl”

Dir: Matthew Crawford
Prd: Joshua Butler

TRT: 67 min

Bay St. Louis is a small community on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. It is unique in that the bluff at water’s edge is nearly thirty-two feet above sea level, making it the highest point on the entire coast. This community survived the strongest of hurricanes, a category 5 with Hurricane Camille in the 1960s, thanks in part to its elevation. With a false sense of security, a number of residents stayed behind when ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Katrina was approaching.

One-Eyed Girl is the story of a town’s survival and determination in the face of one of the greatest disasters in our country’s history. Their story is told through interviews with large-than-life characters: the Cajun who rode-out the storm on the beach; the local radio operator who repaired a communications tower during the storm to ensure communications to the community; the volunteer firefighter who daringly saved a family from a drowning vehicle; the lifetime residents that will rebuild; the volunteers that gave the community hope; and the local artists and musicians who give the community its life.

One-Eyed Girl captures the quirkiness of not only this town but also of the human spirit.