The New Orleans French Film Festival hosted its 29th annual screening of films and events this year. The festival is one of the longest-running international language festivals in the U.S, that spread across the city of New Orleans, with films shown at the Prytania Theatre Uptown, showcasing classic and contemporary films from French speaking countries.
I think cinema is so important because it brings people together to experience creativity and expression that is built on diverse perspectives and languages to celebrate the art of storytelling.
This year I attended events and screenings on Sunday, March 22 that opened my eyes to the world of French cinema.
Starting the day off, I headed to Cafe and Croissants, a beloved festival tradition hosted by L’Union Francaise.
Film lovers chatted over french pastries, coffee, and live music from Grammy-nominated Cajun troubadours Michael and Cameron Dupuy setting the tone for the day.
This sunny Sunday was a perfect transition into the matinee screening of “Leave One Day” presented by L’Union Francaise (which was in the opening night selection of the Cannes Film Festival) at the historic Prytania Theatre Uptown with classic interior and an old timey feel. “Leave One Day” is a French musical comedy that showed us a deep dive into the life of a rising chef who has to return to her hometown from Paris to tend to a family emergency, being flooded with memories that resurface that she has to face. Sitting through the film, I did not expect the characters to start singing, which I thought was a fun and exciting twist. “Leave One Day” did a good job of showing what it’s like to combat past memories.
The second film I went to see was “Peak Everything,” which is a tender romantic comedy where two strangers form a bond through a late night customer support line sharing their fears, dreams, and vulnerabilities presented by the Consulate General of Canada. This film opened my eyes to how quickly the environment is changing with the impact of climate change. I feel like it highlights the emotional and human impact that follows behind our footsteps . It reminded me of the movie “Leave the World,” which has the same ‘end of the world’ aspect. “Leave One Day” was followed by a Q & A with the director, Anne Emond, where she shared her process and inspirations for the film. Getting able to hear what makes people inspired to do these films is so inspiring and pushes people to know that their dreams can become reality.
Although this was my last film at the Prytania, Loyola’s campus hosted events going into the week for the festival as well. On Monday, March 23, I attended a solopreneurship workshop by Film Lousisana led by Jason Waggenspack, the president of Film Louisiana, the workshop aimed to empower emerging filmmakers through educating them about the business side of the industry.
We split into small groups with different filmmakers to guide us into the different sections needed to succeed in the film industry from business, pitching, logistics, and more.
Ending my time at the French Film Festival with the Stay REEL Soiree presented by MUBI in the Music and Media building, which was an event that blended contemporary Senegalese pop with New Orleans bounce, being played at a DJ booth, with the opportunity to chat with students and faculty.
The New Orleans French Film Festival opened my eyes to the world of French cinema and expression, which truly gave me a deeper appreciation and love for film and the craft of storytelling.
