Cooked

"Cooked" explores the 1995 Chicago heatwave, where 739, mostly Black and elderly, perished. Director Helfand probes deeper, exposing racial and class inequalities exacerbating the disaster. Mapping demographics against fatalities, the film unveils systemic links between poverty, racism, and vulnerability. It critiques official responses, urging accountability for societal conditions exacerbating suffering. Through personal stories, "Cooked" humanizes environmental racism, highlighting the intersectionality of the climate crisis and racial justice.