The human cost of natural disasters is often hidden beneath the headlines. But in the case of the 2022 Lismore floods, a powerful documentary brings this tragedy to the forefront. 'Floodland', released this week, reveals the devastating impact of two record-breaking floods on the lives of Lismore residents.
On February 28, 2022, Lismore faced a catastrophic flood, with water levels reaching a staggering 14.4 meters, the highest ever recorded (source: ABC News). Homes were submerged, and some residents found themselves stranded on rooftops. And just when they were beginning to recover, another flood hit in late March, with the Wilsons River swelling to 11.4 meters.
Two 'once-in-a-generation' floods in one month. This is the heart-wrenching backdrop for 'Floodland', directed by Jordan Giusti. The film intimately follows the lives of Eli Roth, Harper Dalton, Carlie Atkinson, a Bundjalung-Yiman woman, and other Lismore residents as they navigate the aftermath and search for a way forward.
The documentary, which premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2025, winning the $40,000 Sustainable Future Award, was filmed over three years and eight trips to Lismore. But it's not the accolades that Giusti values most; it's the deep connections he formed with the people of Lismore.
Giusti shares, "I developed such a close bond with the main participants that watching the film now is challenging. I still get emotional because I know them so well, and seeing them in that situation is hard." This emotional connection is evident in the film, especially in the raw moments, like when Eli Roth tearfully discusses leaving his beloved hometown.
Despite the trauma, Roth, in an interview with Four Corners in July 2022 (ABC News), expressed his determination to stay in Lismore, praising the strong community spirit. However, the film captures his eventual, difficult decision to leave. Meanwhile, Dalton channels his energy into politics and activism, seeking practical solutions, and is elected to the Lismore City Council in 2024.
The film also highlights the often-overlooked perspective of Indigenous peoples. Carlie Atkinson and Bundjalung Elder Uncle Roy Gordon remind viewers of the wisdom Indigenous communities have shared about living on flood plains, wisdom that has largely been ignored.
Giusti's approach to the documentary was unique. He didn't have a preconceived idea of who to interview or what story to tell. Instead, he organically met people, often through introductions from his subjects or locals approaching him. "We had a lot we wanted to convey, and the participants we chose represented various themes," Giusti explains.
These themes include the political, environmental, and historical aspects of Lismore's flood-prone nature. Giusti aimed to ensure that everyone in Lismore felt represented by the few individuals featured in the film, as they touched on so many different experiences.
As an outsider, Giusti brought a fresh perspective to the story, determined to share Lismore's struggles with the rest of Australia. He believes that being from Lismore would have made the film much harder to create, as it would have been emotionally challenging to relive the trauma through interviews.
Instead, Giusti became a conduit for the residents' stories, a role that began with his first visit to Lismore in 2021, when he witnessed the town's resilience after the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2017 flood. He fell in love with the thriving community and even joked about moving there.
But when he returned in April 2022, the town was unrecognizable, still reeling from the recent floods. It was this stark contrast that inspired the film. Giusti began conversations with locals about Lismore's history of flooding, including the ignored advice of Indigenous peoples and suggestions to relocate the town.
Realizing the media had overlooked these perspectives, Giusti returned with a small crew to interview the people he'd met. He showed them raw footage to ensure they were comfortable with their portrayal, building trust and allowing for a more intimate documentary.
Giusti's commitment to the story was strengthened when he returned to Melbourne and saw that many were unaware of Lismore's devastation. He wanted to bring this story to a wider audience, and so he did.
Giusti refers to the individuals in his film as 'participants' rather than 'subjects,' emphasizing their active role in the documentary's creation. He explains, "They're collaborators, not specimens under a microscope. They're real people sharing their stories and co-authoring the film."
'Floodland' not only exposes the human cost of climate change but also explores how communities can draw on Indigenous knowledge to adapt and become more resilient to natural disasters. Giusti reflects, "After the Industrial Revolution, there was a tendency to think we could ignore nature. But climate change reminds us we can't transcend nature; it's bigger than us. The question is, how do we work with it?"
'Floodland' is now showing in cinemas, offering a powerful and intimate look at the human side of natural disasters and the resilience of communities.
And here's a thought: Could this documentary spark a conversation about the role of Indigenous knowledge in disaster preparedness and resilience? What do you think?
