Louisiana’s Entertainment Development Fund has awarded filmmaker funds to promote Louisiana’s French culture. #CreateLouisiana’s French Culture Film Grant will grant $36,500 for mentorship, education, and workforce development.
One Louisiana filmmaking team receives $25,000 annually from #CreateLouisiana to either a short-scripted film or a feature-length documentary about French culture and talent. Louisiana Economic Development gives French Culture Film Grant winners hands-on training from seasoned filmmakers.
LED Secretary Don Pierson said, “#CreateLouisiana has an impressive track record of championing Louisiana’s indigenous talent and supporting our state’s entertainment community.
The organization has helped Louisiana filmmakers tell tales that boost our creative economy with grants and coaching. This latest Louisiana Entertainment Development Fund award will boost that effort in the coming months.”
CreateLouisiana and Deep South Studios in New Orleans will coach EDF prize recipients.
“We are grateful and honored to receive funding from Louisiana’s Entertainment Development Fund which allows #CreateLouisiana to continue mentoring and supporting Louisiana filmmakers with our French Culture Film Grant,” said #CreateLouisiana creator Scott Niemeyer. #CreateLouisiana is delighted to work with LED to strengthen our indigenous filmmaking community through our grant programs, which feature Francophone culture in our wonderful state.
In 2017, #CreateLouisiana created the French Culture Film Grant initiative to convey Louisiana’s rich French and Francophone culture with national and international audiences.
TV5Monde USA, the only U.S. 24-hour French-language entertainment network, Cox Communications, Deep South Studios, and the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, a division of the state Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, have supported the program.
“TV5Monde USA is proud to have played a key role in the launch of the French Culture Film Grant, which ties in perfectly with our mission and programming,” stated CEO Patrice Courtaban. “We welcome LED.”
“Louisiana’s culture, including our heritage languages, is an invaluable economic resource,” CODOFIL Executive Director Peggy Feehan stated. “As CODOFIL works to maintain, promote, and develop our state’s unique linguistic inheritance, we’ve been delighted to see the films produced in Louisiana French and Louisiana Creole with the support of the French Culture Film Grant.
We look forward to continue our cooperation with #CreateLouisiana after receiving this Entertainment Development Fund award.
LED’s 12th Entertainment Development Fund award since its establishment. Shreveport, Natchitoches, Lafayette, Thibodaux, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans universities and nonprofit community initiatives received previous prizes.
