"20 Summers: Rebuilding the Rhythm of New Orleans" has been awarded Best Short Documentary at the Micheaux Film Festival, marking a major win for BET Media Group and the creative team behind the project.

Written, directed, and produced by Yesha Callahan, Head of Content for BET Media Group, the 15-minute film reflects on the 20 years since Hurricane Katrina through the voices of New Orleans artists who turned pain into power. Featuring Tarriona “Tank” Ball, PJ Morton, Sunni Patterson, Hassan “Ha Sizzle” Matthews, and Jared “Pell” Pellerin, the documentary weaves music, memory, and resilience into a visual love letter to a city that never lost its rhythm.

Joining Callahan as producers were Blair and Brandon Dottin-Haley of The Blairisms, and filmed by New Orleans native Khalif Breaux. The film captures the pulse of the Crescent City with striking authenticity. Edited by Richardson Roberts and visually designed by BET’s Corey Manning and team, "20 Summers" offers a rare look at how New Orleans’ artists have rebuilt not just their communities but the culture itself.

"This win means the world because it honors not just the work, but the city," said Callahan. "New Orleans has always been resilient — it bends but never breaks. The people, the sound, the spirit — they are proof that art can rebuild what tragedy tried to erase."

Since its premiere, "20 Summers" has been celebrated for its emotional storytelling and deep cultural authenticity, resonating with audiences far beyond Louisiana. The win at the Micheaux Film Festival, known for highlighting diverse voices in film and television, cements the documentary’s place among 2025’s most powerful cultural retrospectives.

As New Orleans marks two decades since Katrina, "20 Summers" stands as both a reflection and a reminder: that even in the face of devastation, the rhythm of this city never stops — it only gets stronger.