Not even hurricane Ida could stop this festival, which started on Nov 5. New Orleanians do not like when we call them resilient, so let’s just say they are masters at success against all odds. They even managed to put on their festival last year, in the middle of the pandemic and after several storms that almost destroyed their plans for Covid-safe outdoor screenings.

This year, NOFF (New Orleans Film Festival) is another one of these hybrid festivals – those which you can attend in person or most of whose program you can enjoy online – that have made successes of these events during this difficult era in venues from Venice to TIFF to Sundance. The programming of NOFF is worth noting. Sure, there are always the big Hollywood films that drive up audience numbers at most festivals: Kenneth Branagh’s widely lauded Belfast, the Cannes-hit Red Rocket and the closing night film King Richard, starring Will Smith, will certainly bring in the crowds. But NOFF has also distinguished itself by staying true to its mission to promote the careers of filmmakers of color and staying local with sections like Made in Louisiana and Emerging Voices. This, their 32^nd edition, which has showcased 170 films over 10 days, is the most diverse yet:

Films directed by women and gender non-conforming directors account for 64% of the lineup, and films helmed by directors of color make up 73% of the lineup, with 36% of films coming from Black directors. Films made in the American South represent 60%, and Louisiana-made films represent 22% of the lineup and the directors of selected films represent 24 different nationalities. Additionally, the lineup boasts 28 world premieres and 11 US premieres.

“We’re particularly excited to be showing so many films from the American South this year,” said Clint Bowie, Artistic Director at NOFS (New Orleans Film Society). “This region is full of talented artists and storytellers, and we’re happy to be prioritizing space in the festival for Southern filmmakers to share their work.” Considering this, it is not surprising that Moviemaker Magazine listed NOFF as one of their “25 best film festivals of 2021 worldwide”.

Some works are premiering where they were shot. The Joaquin Phoenix drama C’mon, C’mon is already being described as an early awards contender and will play over the opening weekend. It is a road movie about a surprising but deep relationship between a radio journalist (Phoenix) and his young nephew. Writer-director Mike Mills (Beginners, 20th Century Women) will attend the premiere on Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Orpheum Theatre.

Staying true to its roots also means that there have to be films about local musicians, most notably the doc about a Louisiana legend: Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away about the famed blues guitarist who influenced everyone from Jimmy Hendrix to Carlos Santana to Eric Clapton, is filled with performances, some of them stemming from concert footage that has never been seen before. Speaking of documentaries, the Emily and Sarah Kunstler-produced Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America, featuring civil rights attorney and lecturer Jeffrey Robinson, is also worth mentioning here. And then there is The Neutral Ground, directed by C.J. Hunt, which aired on PBS over the summer but has never been shown in theaters. The idea for it was sparked when the city of New Orleans began removing statues of confederate figures, e.g. Robert E. Lee, an event that sparked an ongoing debate to look further at race relations in modern America.

NOFF is also famous for its vast selection of short films each year, and 2021 is no exception. A compilation of documentary shorts premieres under the title There’s No Place Like New Orleans with gems like Babybangz about a hair salon that became a meeting place for intellectuals, Different Mardi Gras about the canceled event earlier this year, and Death is Our Business about the city’s many Black-owned funeral homes.

In addition, there are foreign films, which we will highlight in a separate post. Suffice it to say that art and culture will always win in New Orleans and the 32^nd Film Festival is proof of that.

Check out our video of the New Orleans Film Festival HERE.