Hurricane Harvey Storms Onto Big Screen As Inspirational Movie (Starring Survivors)

Hurricanes are only named once, except for Harvey. Hurricane Harvey is hell-bent for Houston again, but this time he tracks a red carpet path to the big screen—with real-life storm survivors and heroes as movie actors willing to take head-on the devastating Category 4 storm once more.

Among the film’s credits will be George Huntoon, the amiable real estate agent who, in his V-hull fishing boat, rescued countless Houstonians from catastrophic rainfall and flash flooding following the destructive 2017 storm which caused $125 billion worth of damage (equaling Hurricane Katrina as the USA’s costliest cyclone). One year ago, his heroics were documented in this column.

Now as the 2018 hurricane season revs up, Huntoon is officially a movie star (sort of), prepping for the anticipated red-carpet movie premiere of Harvey, which opens in Richmond, Texas on September 22nd at Regal Cinemas 22. Directed by Michael Sterling and produced by Nkem DenChukwu (of Street Corner films), the movie aims for realism compared to typical movie star vehicles—real people as actors, not actors portraying real people.

Controversial at first, the filmmakers’ aim was to honor memories and document both the heartbreaking and inspirational stories amid the tragedy—shelters, water rescues, neighbors aiding neighbors, altruistic strangers helping strangers, family bonds, and a city coming together, even as its being ripped apart by Mother Nature. One devastating aspect of the story focuses on the Saldivar family which lost six members, including the mother and father who held hands to the very end.

“Hurricane Harvey took many lives and properties,” says DenChukwu, (Harvey’s producer, story editor and casting director), who was trapped with her four children due to post-Harvey flooding. “It created immeasurable fear. But, it did not have the power to destroy that human spirit of oneness amongst strangers, neighbors, families, and communities at large. This is my inspiration for agreeing to produce this film.”

Sterling, a Houston-based film director who was also stranded after Hurricane Harvey, viewed the tragedy through the same lens. They connected, collaborated quickly on story and script, and the rest is Harvey history—real life-inspired mixed with artistic license (not to be confused with the James Stewart movie about an imaginary 6-foot-tall rabbit). The dynamic duo quickly assembled a competent team which included FEMA, the Houston Police Department, Hurricane Harvey survivors, and Texas representative Sheila Jackson Lee, all of whom helped green light the project. Two surviving Saldivars (Ric and Samuel) gave their blessing to explore their tragic family story.

More than 10,000 people applied for 300 extra roles as evacuees (which were assigned to Hurricane Harvey survivors). Some of the filming locations were real Hurricane Harvey shelters. Despite a small budget, the filmmakers recreated flooding scenes with VFX special effects and a dose of ingenuity (some of the deluge was shot in Houston during heavy rainfalls after filming already wrapped).

“In those deep, fast-moving waters, despite the snakes and the alligators also seeking refuge, thousands of people held on to hope—the hope to survive,” says DenChukwu, who’s also produced a political crime drama (Lone Star Deception), two upcoming features (Stretched, Twinless), and two unreleased educational short films inspired by the bullying and suicide epidemics. “The color of every survivor’s skin or legal status, didn’t matter to the rescuers or the survivors. Saving every life was all that mattered.”

Huntoon’s heroism caught the media’s eye (including mine) during Hurricane Harvey’s aftermath of historic spin-off rainfall, leading to CNN interviews, a Forbes profile, etc., which put him on the movie producers’ radar. He passed a screen test and stars (with his trusted boat) in two scenes, portraying a character that required little study—himself.

He’s yet to earn a SAG card, but he did nab a new IMDB profile. Huntoon was even nominated and chosen for a local Harvey Hero contest which scored him a first-class Super Bowl trip to Minneapolis. Yet, his newfound celebrity is still fits like an uncomfortably tight suit.

“I had a hard time processing why so many people thought I was a hero and making a big deal about what I did,” says Huntoon. “I just had to learn to take a compliment and say, ‘Thank you.’ I know it might sound weird or odd to say that but I just did what I did because it needed to be done.”

Huntoon shies from talking about the traumatic experience too much. He risked his own life to save others—actions that fall well within the parameters of heroism. Medals of Honor are awarded for such disregard for self in the service of others. It wasn’t a military operation but Huntoon, a former Marine, operated as if it was.

His most harrowing mission occurred at Braes Bayou, where flash flooding and debris made him question whether his boat could handle the dangerous currents. He feared being swept away with his rescued passengers, yet he pressed on—feeling he had no choice.

“Thank God I succeeded and accomplished the mission,” he says. “But that specific experience still haunts me today and I get emotional thinking about it. I have not told many people about it and how scary it was.”

Harvey the movie chronicles Huntoon’s real-life emotion as just one of the countless experiences during Hurricane Harvey. In just four days, the storm dumped 40 inches of rain, displaced 30,000 people, forced 17,000 rescues and caused 107 deaths total (103 in Texas alone).

“George Huntoon was angel during Hurricane Harvey,” says DenChukwu, who received a producer’s chair from the neighborly hero realtor. “His unselfish sacrifice during that devastating storm was indeed grace.”

Hurricane Harvey pounded the Houston landscape but not the real estate market, according to Huntoon, who still has a non-Hollywood day job. His business, EXP Realty, actually flourished (despite not promoting his own heroism).

“I was very surprised how the market really picked up about a month after the storm,” says Huntoon, who admits his celebrity helped his business. “It might have been a combination of Houston’s rising oil prices, the rising stock market, and hundreds of millions of rebuilding dollars pouring into the local economy. Also, many flooded homes were taken out of inventory. I’lll admit that some of my business was a byproduct of the publicity I received. So that was kind of a blessing.”

It’s a blessing to be alive, talking real estate and seeing yourself on the big screen too. Huntoon is used to talking the talk, even walking the walk—but not walking red carpets. Going Hollywood may be awkward but anything is possible when you survive Hurricane Harvey.

“This movie will mean different things to different people, depending on how they perceive the story, and their experiences during Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath,” says DenChukwu. “However, we believe that many will look back, and truly appreciate the fact that they lived through Harvey to tell their stories. They are here.”