Louisiana Entertainment Development Fund awards grant to #CreateLouisiana's program

Meredith G. White, Shreveport Times
·2 min read

A program that provides filmmaker grants to promote Louisiana's French culture has received an award and grant from Louisiana's Entertainment Development Fund.

The organization #CreateLouisiana will receive $36,500 to provide mentorship, education and workforce development as part of its French Culture Film Grant program.

#CreateLouisiana launched the French Culture Film Grant program in 2017 to showcase the state's deep connection to French and Francophone culture and to share stories of Louisiana's French heritage with national and international audiences.

Stock photo.
Stock photo.

"#CreateLouisiana has an impressive track record of championing Louisiana's indigenous talent and supporting the entertainment community in our state," LED Secretary Don Pierson said. "With grants and mentorship, the organization has assisted Louisiana filmmakers in creating and sharing stories that contribute to our creative economy. This latest award from Louisiana's Entertainment Development Fund will enhance that effort in the months to come."

#CreateLouisiana gives one annual $25,000 grant to a Louisiana filmmaking team to create a short-scripted film or feature-length documentary focusing on French culture and talent. This is awarded by the Louisiana Entertainment Development and is used for hands-on instruction and education that's provided by experienced filmmakers to the French Culture Film Grant winners.

More Industry News: Take a first look at the 'Game of Thrones' inspired movie filming at Shreveport's old Millenium Studios

The EDF award will enable selected filmmakers to receive mentoring and other assistance from film professionals at #CreateLouisiana and the New Orleans-based Deep South Studios.

"Louisiana's culture is an invaluable economic resource, and that includes our heritage languages," said Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) Executive Director Peggy Feehan. "As CODOFIL works to maintain, promote and develop our state's unique linguistic inheritance, we've been delighted to see the films produced in Louisiana French and Louisiana Creole with the support of the French Culture Film Grant. This award from the Entertainment Development Fund marks an important investment in the idea that our heritage languages have real value, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with #CreateLouisiana."

A new movie is being shot at the old Millennium Studios in downtown Shreveport on March 28, 2023, that is inspired by the hit HBO show "Game of Thrones."
A new movie is being shot at the old Millennium Studios in downtown Shreveport on March 28, 2023, that is inspired by the hit HBO show "Game of Thrones."

This is the 12th Entertainment Development Fund award announced by LED since the program was launched. Previous awards were made to higher education institutions and nonprofit community programs in Shreveport, Natchitoches, Lafayette, Thibodaux, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Meredith G. White is the arts and culture reporter for the Shreveport Times. You can find her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and Twitter as @meredithgwhite, and email her at mgwhite@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Organization receives grant to promote Louisiana's French culture