This season, the Gallery Podcast is bringing you a full lineup of filmmaker artist interviews, including some masters and legends, along with the Houston Cinema Arts Society at the 2019 Houston Cinema Arts Festival.
On this episode, Claudia got to catch up with Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker and rap artist Kimberly Rivers-Roberts. They talked about the injustices faced by the people living in the 9th Ward of New Orleans, Kimberly’s journey to become a powerful voice for her community, holding city leaders accountable, and the impact her film, Fear No Gumbo, is having on the preservation of her home and culture.
Kimberly Rivers-Roberts is a rap artist, filmmaker, and community activist who first gained prominence for her documentary Trouble the Water, which won the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for best documentary feature at the 2009 Academy Awards. She releases music under the name Queen Black Kold Madina through her own record label, Born Hustler Records.
About FEAR NO GUMBO
An exploration of the 9th Ward in New Orleans, Fear No Gumbo focuses on the efforts of people in the community as they rebuild their lives 14 years after Hurricane Katrina. A follow-up to the 2009 Academy Award–nominated documentary Trouble the Water, this sequel follows the neighborhood’s residents as they attempt to preserve their distinct, rich culture by staving off systemic racism, government corruption, and the appearance of “culture vultures” who swooped in during Katrina’s aftermath.
A special thanks to Kimberly Rivers-Roberts’ team, GIVERNY Lab, and Houston Cinema Arts Society for making this interview possible.
Listen to the interview:
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