Louisiana French Film Garners International Acclaim

NEW ORLEANS — The Nous Foundation, a New Orleans-based cultural institution committed to preserving and promoting Louisiana’s heritage cultures (including Cajun, Creole, and Indigenous communities), is honored to be engaged in highlighting the stories of our cultures through locally shot and produced films and documentaries. 

Évangéline, written and directed by the Cory St. Ewart has been selected for the Oscar qualifying narrative short category at the upcoming New Orleans Film Festival, Oct. 16-22, 2024. Évangéline is a short narrative set in 1940s Louisiana that centers on a young Cajun girl, Évangéline, and her deep connection to the swamp lands she calls home. Defying her father’s strict prohibitions, she forms a mystical and sinister bond with a Rougarou, a creature of local folklore, as she seeks freedom from her oppressive domestic life. Set entirely in Louisiana French, the film is crafted to show the cultural details of Cajun culture that are often overlooked by non-Louisiana filmmakers. Among many examples, the entire score is made only with instruments used in Cajun music.

The film’s recognition builds on the breakout success for Louisiana French language film with the Nous Foundation walking the red carpet at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in France from May 14-21, 2024. The Nous Foundation joined a delegation of Louisiana film professionals at this year’s festival to feature a new wave of French and Creole-language films emerging from Louisiana. The aim was to increase awareness of the distribution of Louisiana-produced films to introduce them to a larger Francophone audience.  

The Nous Foundation’s cinematic achievements are augmented with its latest project made possible by the Library of Congress and CreateLouisiana grants, La musique nous réunit. This project honors the innovative force of Louisiana’s leading visionaries through a vinyl recording, documentary, and printed publication featuring six Louisiana musicians, including Louis Michot, Sweet Crude, Les Cenelles, Baby Dolls, Bruce ‘Sunpie’ Barnes, and Leyla McCalla, who explore their relationship to French language and culture in terms of historical loss and the contemporary cultural revival of French and Kouri-Vini (Louisiana Creole). The film will premiere at the New Orleans French Film Festival in March 2025.

Founded in June 2020, the Nous Foundation s an institute dedicated to preserving and promoting French and Creole in Louisiana and the United States. The foundation’s actions center around three priorities: organizing cultural events, creating original content, and launching innovative programs (based on an incubator model to promote language transmission). Through an initiative launched and spearheaded by the Nous Foundation’s co-founders, Rudy Bazenet and Scott Tilton, Louisiana became the first state to join the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) in 2018. The OIF brings together 88 countries and regions, 16% of the global economy, and over 1 billion people.  

Cory St. Ewart, a third-year MFA Film student at Columbia University, brings his unique perspective as a Black American with deep roots in Louisiana culture. His works are known for their exploration of racial identity and the rich storytelling traditions of his native state. St. Ewart’s films have gained acclaim for their authenticity and cultural richness, resonating with audiences globally.