A Brief History of Chasing Storms

In the region of the US known as Tornado Alley, inhabitants have to cope with the devastating force of increasingly frequent and powerful storms. Filmmaker Curtis Miller, who grew up in tornado country himself, takes a road trip to places in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas that have been struck by this powerful natural phenomenon. Alongside the staggering extent of the damage and the grief felt for the many victims, the filmmaker also encounters fascination and a thriving “tornado culture”

Miller visits local museums and meets eyewitnesses, local authorities, and a few tornado chasers, some of whom have spent decades trying to unravel the logic behind these whirlwinds. With the help of archival material, including the very first photograph of a tornado shot in 1884, the film shows their cultural and economic impact.

Hollywood depictions of this devastating natural phenomenon hold an important place for people living in this sparsely populated region, and they feel empowered by films such as The Wizard of Oz and Twister. The filmmaker, meanwhile, is hoping to achieve his ultimate goal of filming a tornado himself.