New Orleans Film Fest

The New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) kicked off its 24th film fest last Thursday night with the premiere of 12 Years a Slave. For 2 years in a row, MovieMaker Magazine included the New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) in its “Top 25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.” NOFS Executive Director Jolene Pinder should probably prepare for a 3rd inclusion in this honor. The fest has panels, outdoor screenings and plenty of brass bands along with a variety of premieres, many of which were filmed right here in Louisiana.

Beasts of the Southern Wild Q&A

Once again, the newly launched Louisiana International Film Festival (LIFF) has created a “Red Carpet, Meet Bayou” community event celebrating our great state’s place in the global film industry. Their first big event was a screening of The Big Lebowski hosted by Jeff “The Dude” Dowd, the inspiration for the Jeff Bridges character in the film. It was a great, action-packed weekend and, as Dowd helped kickstart Sundance, it felt like an auspicious start of something wonderful. On Thursday, LIFF brought their concept home with a screening in Baton Rouge (again, attended by The Dude) of the highly acclaimed Beasts of the Southern Wild and asked me to moderate the Q&A afterward. I was honored… nervous and honored.

The Dude in Baton Rouge

It takes stamina to hang with the Dude, stamina and good hearing. A marvel and a mumbler, Jeff “the Dude” Dowd, the inspiration for the Jeff Bridges character in The Big Lebowski, draws people in wherever he goes and can out-party people a third his age. Last week, he leant his considerable knowledge and marketing to help kickstart a new film festival in Baton Rouge, the Louisiana International Film Festival. The Dude helped launch a little festival known as Sundance years ago.