NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) announced the first wave of titles for the 36th annual, Oscar®-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF), including the festival’s opening night film, Michalopoulos: The Art of Celebration, a feature documentary from director Sean O’Malley and produced by WLAE, plus 133 films in competition.
In addition, NOFS announced a new three-year partnership with Andscape, the Black-led media platform under The Walt Disney Company and ESPN, as the Presenting Sponsor of NOFF 2025. This landmark collaboration kicks off with an exclusive screening of STAY, Andscape’s newest original scripted feature, a supernatural thriller directed by Jas Summers and starring Megalyn Echikunwoke and Mo McRae.
After receiving over 3,700 submissions from 125 countries, NOFF 2025 is showcasing 130+ films in-person at The Broad Theater, Contemporary Art Center, The Prytania Theatre, The Mahalia Jackson Theater, The Historic New Orleans Collection and the New Orleans Jazz Museum Oct. 23-27 and virtually Oct. 23 – Nov. 2 through the NOFF Virtual Cinema (available globally). The festival’s films in competition lineup is now live at neworleansfilmsociety.org.
Andscape Partnership
Andscape is a Black content studio that explores the depth of Black identity through its power in sports and culture. Magnified by the power and reach of The Walt Disney Company, the Andscape umbrella includes daily journalism, film, television, book publishing and music. Through this partnership, Andscape will help shape future programming and deepen NOFS’s impact across the Southern film community.
“This partnership with Andscape reflects everything the New Orleans Film Society stands for—bold storytelling, cultural connection, and elevating underrepresented voices,” said Dodd Loomis, Interim Executive Director of NOFS. “We’re honored to screen STAY, a film that exemplifies Andscape’s vision and our shared commitment to powerful, identity-driven cinema.”
STAY represents Andscape’s bold approach to genre filmmaking and commitment to emotionally complex Black storytelling.
“Andscape is proud to begin our sponsorship of the New Orleans Film Festival—an institution that champions bold, authentic storytelling,” said Sabrina Clarke, Director of Experiential Storytelling & Operations at Andscape. “As a Black-led media platform devoted to telling stories that center the Black experience, Andscape is committed to amplifying new and necessary voices. Partnering with NOFS is a powerful extension of that mission. New Orleans, with its deep cultural roots and rich narrative tradition, is the perfect city to exhibit STAY—a project that reflects the kind of layered, resonant storytelling we strive to elevate.”
Learn more about Andscape at andscape.com.
Opening Night: Michalopoulos: The Art of Celebration
NOFF 2025 will open at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts on Oct. 23, with the film Michalopoulos: The Art of Celebration, a feature documentary from director Sean O’Malley and produced by WLAE, who last year brought NOFF the profile of artist George Rodrigue.
James Michalopoulos has become one of the most recognizable painters of New Orleans. His work often features tilted houses and luminous skies, reflecting both the vibrancy and contradictions of the city. The film follows the self-taught artist to never-before-seen locations—from an eccentric chateau in Burgundy to his cattywampus New Orleans home and a former funeral parlor turned vibrant Frenchmen Street studio.
Michalopoulos: The Art of Celebration is as much about preserving New Orleans’ soul as it is about the extraordinary career of an artist who paints the way many say the city feels.
133 Films in Competition
Founded in 1989, NOFS has championed the voices of independent filmmakers for over 36 years. As one of the few Oscar®-qualifying festivals in all three short film categories, NOFF continues to draw over 12,000 attendees and 250+ filmmakers to New Orleans each year. In 2025, NOFF received over 3,700 submissions—only 133 selected, highlighting its 3% acceptance rate and commitment to exceptional curation.
After receiving 3,700 submissions from 125 countries for the 36th anniversary of the festival, NOFF’s team of programmers selected a slate of 133 films in competition that represent a wide range of perspectives. These include 27 feature films (16 documentaries, 11 narrative features) and 106 short films.
For more information about the New Orleans Film Festival, visit neworleansfilmsociety.org.
How to Attend NOFF 2025
Festival-goers can purchase an All Access Pass, good for all in-person and NOFF Virtual Cinema screenings, parties and events; or purchase individual tickets for each screening. All Access Passes are now available for purchase, with Individual tickets on sale to NOFS members on Oct. 9 at noon and to the general public on Oct. 16 at noon at neworleansfilmsociety.org.
The in-person screening schedule will be announced on Oct. 6 at noon and screenings will take place at The Broad Theater, Contemporary Art Center (CAC), The Prytania Theatre, The Historic New Orleans Collection, New Orleans Jazz Museum and Mahalia Jackson Theater between Oct. 23 – 27.
This year’s festival includes the return of a Main Festival Headquarters at the CAC, which will be open to the public. This festival hub will include the main NOFF box office, the CAC Warehouse Theater, the CAC Blackbox Theater, the new Lumen Productions Podcast Studio, a merchandise store, special events and activations, and more.
NOFF Virtual Cinema will run from Oct. 23 – Nov. 2, offering 115+ films from the festival lineup:
- Virtual Passes to watch all films in the lineup throughout the festival;
- a Six Film Pass to watch any six films virtually or in-person or buy individual tickets for each virtual screening.
- Students and teachers can purchase a discounted pass for access to all virtual and in-person screenings.
- New Orleans Film Society members receive $50 off of All Access passes, $3 off of in-person screening tickets, and $2 off of NOFF Virtual Cinema tickets.
About the New Orleans Film Society
The New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, nurturing, and amplifying the diverse voices of filmmakers. We aim to facilitate conversations through film and film-related programming that inspire, educate, challenge, and entertain our audiences.
Founded in 1989, NOFS produces the Oscar®-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival annually and invests year-round in building a vibrant film culture in the South to share transformative cinematic experiences with audiences and connect dynamic filmmakers to career-advancing resources.
Year-round programming includes free and low-cost screenings for members and the broader community of cinephiles in New Orleans, a 20-year running French Film Festival featuring contemporary and classic French cinema, and filmmaker professional development programs created to nurture diverse voices in filmmaking in the American South.
About Andscape
Andscape is a Black-led media platform dedicated to creating, highlighting, and uplifting the diverse stories of Black identity. Magnified by the power and reach of The Walt Disney Co., the Andscape umbrella includes an editorial division, book publishing arm, film and television division, and music publishing group, each united by the shared mission of illuminating the culture and experience of Blackness.
Founded in 2022, Andscape is a reimagination, expansion and diversification of The Undefeated’s former platform. For more information, visit www.andscape.com.
