As Louisiana continues to dominate lists for film productions, Louisiana International Film Festival director Chesley Heymsfield is looking at a different question.
“Do distributors consider this a viable territory for distribution​?” she asks.
As 225 details in a feature from the current issue, the organization is trying to prove that people in the Louisiana market care about good films, with the help of LIFF artistic director Dan Ireland. Outside its annual film festival, LIFF screens several movies throughout the year ahead of official release dates through its Film Society.
For example, the Film Society brought Oscar-winner Boyhood​ to Baton Rouge. The film wasn’t originally slated for release in the Capital City, but because LIFF managed to get an early screening with a huge turnout, Cinemark opened three additional theaters to host the movie.
“Just by our audience showing up and being eager, they are making a huge impact on what they are actually able to bring here,” Heymsfield says.
Since that screening, the society has brought other contenders to Baton Rouge, such as Gone Girl, Selma and The Imitation Game. The society has helped maintain interest in LIFF through the year, Ireland says.
“Baton Rouge is getting on people’s lips,” he says.
