IMDb
When you think of natural disasters, heat waves probably don’t top your list. But the 1995 Chicago heat wave changed that — in just one brutal week, 739 people died, making it the deadliest heat wave in U.S. history. And the story of those deaths isn’t just about the weather. It’s about race, poverty, and how modern cities are built.
That’s the message behind "Cooked: Survival by Zip Code," a powerful documentary directed by Judith Helfand that dives deep into this tragedy. The film screens locally on Thursday, June 5, at 7 p.m. at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth as part of Movies That Matter, a free film series hosted by the City of Fort Worth’s Human Relations Commission.
Helfand’s film isn’t just about the heat itself — it’s about how the heatwave exposed the fault lines of inequality in Chicago. The neighborhoods hit hardest were overwhelmingly Black and low-income, where decades of disinvestment and discriminatory policies stacked the deck against residents long before the temperature hit triple digits.
The film’s title comes from the idea that where you live — your zip code — can be a matter of life or death. Helfand draws on Eric Klinenberg’s 2002 book "Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago" to show how race, poverty, and social isolation made some communities far more vulnerable than others. Maps in the film show a staggering overlap between the hottest parts of the city, redlined neighborhoods, and those with the highest death rates.
“What’s the best way to prepare for disaster?” Helfand asks early on. Her answer is a call to rethink how cities like ours plan for emergencies — because drills and checklists don’t save lives if they ignore the social realities people face every day.
The film also puts a spotlight on those in power, from Chicago’s government officials who blamed victims for their own deaths, to federal housing policies that entrenched segregation, and the fossil fuel industry’s role in fueling climate change. It’s a tough look at how systems fail vulnerable communities, and how climate justice is inseparable from racial and economic justice.
For Fort Worth, a city growing fast and facing its own challenges with climate and equity, "Cooked" offers more than a history lesson. It’s a chance to think about who we’re protecting — and who we might be leaving behind.
What You Need to Know
"Cooked: Survival by Zip Code"
When: Thursday, June 5, 7 p.m.
Where: Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St.
Cost: Free — but reserve your spot online
Presented by: Movies That Matter, City of Fort Worth Human Relations Commission
