Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival brings indies to the big screen

Learn about filmmaking, catch dozens of indy films and see a screening of Baton Rouge native Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lives, and Videotape, a legacy independent film shot in and around the Capital City that helped propel the 1990s indy cinema boom. The second annual Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival takes place Aug. 27 through Aug. 30 at Manship Theatre.

The festival, founded by four friends who met while studying filmmaking at LSU,  launched last year. Joe Carleton, Nathan Hall, Brendan Pyron and Michael Prince-Bouton were eager to bring an independent film festival back to the community after the closure of the Baton Rouge International Film Festival, which functioned from 2011 to 2019, but ceased to operate after the pandemic.

“We didn’t have a film festival anymore in the city, even though there were others all over the state,” says Carleton, a filmmaker, entrepreneur and tax professional.

The friends pitched the idea to Visit Baton Rouge, which signed on as the festival’s headline sponsor.

Carleton says BRUFF is not just entertaining but serves as a resource for anyone interested in working in the film industry.

“We will have workshops and panels where people can get hands-on introductory training in the industry,” he says.

The festival also showcases numerous indy films. About half the projects are from Louisiana filmmakers, while the balance are from national and global artists.

The opening night of the festival includes a red carpet opening gala and cocktail event, followed by Sex, Lies and Videotape and an after-party at the Hotel Indigo. Viewers will no doubt recognize some of the 1989 Cannes Film Festival Best Picture’s shooting locations, including a duplex in Ogden Park, a home in Riverbend and bar scenes shot in The Bayou, the storied dive bar on Chimes Street.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday will feature both workshops and panel discussions on different aspects of the film industry, as well as screenings of a wide variety of films. Each day is capped off with an after-party at a downtown bar.

One workshop features two-time Academy Award-winning sound designer Mark Mangini, who worked on Dune and Mad Max: Fury Road among other projects. Another features a conversation with director Cierra “Shooter” Glaude about remaining connected to Southern roots while working worldwide. Her credits include The Chi, Riverdale and Pretty Little Liars. And Baton Rouge-born collaborators Gray Fagan and Bailey Wax will read from their latest creative work.

Film Louisiana, the state film commission, along with labor union reps, will give a workshop on the state of the film industry in the state.

Carleton says BRUFF’s format is the same as last year, but is bigger and better, with more panels, workshops, screenings and networking opportunities.

The festival will screen nine full-length feature films, two shorter feature films and 56 short films.

“We have so many really, really cool screenings,” Carleton says. “We have some incredible Louisiana projects that you might not see outside of a film festival, but that are just beautiful, polished pieces of art.”

For tickets and info, visit Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival.