The Whole Gritty City is a documentary premiering at this year's New Orleans Film Festival. The film, per its web site "tells the story of three New Orleans marching bands"--the Roots of Music Crusaders, the L.E. Rabouin High School Marching Band, the O. Perry Walker High School Marching Band--"as they push to prepare for Mardi Gras parades, and three band directors battle for their students' lives and souls. It shows lives stopped in their tracks by the violence of the streets, and the power of music to lift and sustain the survivors."

The premiere happens Saturday, October 12, 6:30p at the CAC. There's a second showing on Monday, October 14, 4:15p at the Prytania Theatre. Find out about tickets here.

Here's the trailer:

And some outtakes from the film's YouTube channel:

New Orleans high school band director Wilbert Rawlins Jr. talks about leading kids on the right path through music, 3 min, 32 sec:

Roots of Music founder Derrick Tabb talks about leading kids on the right path through music, 58 sec:

Roots of Music drumline practice, 55 sec:

O. Perry Walker HS Marching Band in rehearsal, 2 min 6 sec: