When the Storm Fades

Dir. Sean Devlin; 80 mins

In this affecting, provocative docudrama from artist/activist Sean Devlin, a Filipino family and their neighbours reenact their own experiences of resolutely rebuilding their homes and lives in the wake of the devastation wrought by 2013’s Hurricane Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms in history. Not helping matters are two ineffectual foreign aid workers (Kayla Lorette and Aaron Read) who might actually emerge as the "white saviours" they fancy themselves if they weren’t so busy curating their Instagram accounts. Of course, their ineptness proves rather innocuous when contrasted with a predatory insurance executive (Ryan Beil) who only sees a windfall when he surveys unthinkable devastation.