Screen test

Still jazzed after parading the Park City, Utah, streets—literally—during Sundance, organizers of the Louisiana International Film Festival are gearing up for the April 18-21 inaugural launch. The event is packed with screenings—including the Peter Jackson-produced documentary West of Memphis and the feature film At Any Price—workshops, seminars, an awards ceremony and red carpet-style parties. It also spans venues from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, including the Celtic Media Centre, the Rural Life Museum, the Lyceum and the Manship Theatre, as well as the Joy Theater in New Orleans, which is hosting the opening night event. For 225‘s People to Watch issue, festival executive director Chesley Hemsfield explained that the state’s growing film industry demands a supportive film festival: “I wouldn’t be launching this film festival with this focus unless I knew we were at a pivotal point.” For more information, visit lifilmfest.org.