5 Best Disaster Documentaries – Emergency Management Degree Program Guide

April 5, 2019April 15, 2022

Five Engaging Disaster Documentaries

The Russian Woodpecker
Columbia: The Tragic Loss
Before the Flood
Fahrenheit 9/11
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts

Working in emergency management means that is necessary to learn from the actions and history of others who have dealt with major disasters. Documentaries about disasters tell the stories of the emergency workers, residents, and volunteers who were there. This list of the five best disaster documentaries offers inspiration and motivation to continue working in emergency preparedness and related fields of expertise.

1. The Russian Woodpecker

As one of the five best disaster documentaries, The Russian Woodpecker explores the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986. It won the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The documentary examines the cause of the disaster and looks into the conspiracy of the USSR’s control of the information given to the public about the event and how it would affect their health. The ongoing environmental and social effects of the Chernobyl disaster are also closely detailed in this colorful documentary.

2. Columbia: The Tragic Loss

Also earning a spot in the list of the five best disaster documentaries is Columbia: The Tragic Loss. This documentary examines the disintegration of the space shuttle upon its reentry into Earth’s atmosphere and the life story of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who was on the shuttle. Emergency management workers found his diary in the debris that was scattered over hundreds of miles. The documentary’s hosts interview NASA engineers, Ramon’s family and other astronauts in the documentary.

3. Before the Flood

One of the five best disaster documentaries recommended by research and reference librarians is Before the Flood. Produced and directed by Leonardo DiCaprio and other Hollywood giants, this film takes a look at the effects of climate change and the severity of flooding in different places around the world. Some of the flood events that it examines include the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011 and the flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina.

4. Fahrenheit 9/11

Fahrenheit 9/11 was written, directed and produced by Michael Moore. The film examines the history of politics and war that lead up to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and the fourth downed plane that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The film involved a lot of controversies as it explored the interactions of politics and the times before and after the disaster. People who were part of the recovery and cleanup were interviewed for the film, as were the families of soldiers who were sent on the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

5. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts

Directed by Spike Lee, the 2006 documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts explores the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. The documentary was filmed as the disaster happened and in the immediate weeks after. Relief and aid workers, residents and emergency management workers were all interviewed. The staff of local hospitals, shelters, and nursing homes also gave interviews for the film. This documentary showcases how people dealt with the damage, infrastructure problems, immediate material needs the newly homeless, handling of the dead and disease aftermath of the hurricane.

Although these disaster documentaries were made as a way to tell the stories of those who acted and those were lost, they can also be dramatic and sometimes entertaining. A cozy couch, snuggly blanket, and a tasty snack make the perfect pairings for watching one or more of these five best disaster documentaries.