Named after a New Orleans housing project, Desire follows a diverse group of teenage girls over a period of five years. But the film is as much about the filmmaker’s desires to create a film about issues and people as it is about how to execute her desires responsibly. Trained to make their own videos, the girls create short films within the documentary about issues that concern their lives. Created before Katrina, the film comments on race and class in New Orleans, puts a human face on the tragedy, and provides a context for understanding the human impact of the hurricane. Ultimately, Desire also offers a model for collaboration in filmmaking projects.