A mysterious homicide grips 1982’s New Orleans when a young mother named Edna Lester is found stabbed to death and her home set ablaze. The arson leaves little evidence behind and fractures a family in the process. Decades later, the two children of Edna, Mike and Angela, reckon with their childhood under an abusive roof and come to question the real truth behind their mother’s passing. After the Devil is Dead is a tough but gripping watch, combining elements of an investigative crime drama with a harrowing story of trauma and survival.
Through a variety of newspaper clippings, broadcast blurbs, letters written by Edna, and aptly chosen home videos with helpful subtitles, Paul Catalanotto showcases a very satisfying balance of footage to form a vivid picture of the Lester household. In fact, Catalanotto is responsible for the editing, writing, camerawork, and direction, pulling each role off impressively. The interviews with Mike and Angela are heartbreaking accounts, detailing the aftermath of the fire in 1982 and the kind of treatment they received from their father, Russell Lester Sr. There are a handful of other subjects that help get a more all-encompassing view of the family (including Russell’s former wife), but the focus remains squarely on Mike and Angela as they recount the fallout of losing someone they loved dearly—then transitioning to discovering who was truly responsible. Some might dare to call the murder of Edna Lester unsolved all these years later, but the rabbit hole Mike and director Catalanotto go down might just say otherwise, thus creating an eerie and upsetting sensation when viewing the documentary. Though Catalanotto makes a point to sway the narrative in favor of cracking the case, the beating heart of his story is perseverance.
Mike and Angela went through horrific things in their youth—illustrated by Mike showing off his bedroom doorframe being damaged and cracked from Russell kicking it in numerous times. A particularly shattering reveal is Mike’s older brother (blurred in photographs) contributing to the abuse by being their dad’s enforcer of sorts. It’s the tip of a very painful iceberg, and by the end of the feature documentary, we understand what it took for the brother and sister to rebuild themselves as individuals – and as a family.
Inspiring in spite of its dark real-life subject matter, After the Devil is Dead seeks justice and pushes for a brighter future in one poignant breath.
