Critic Mike Scott offers quick-hit recommendations from this year’s lineup
The film festival math never works out.
When the New Orleans Film Festival kicks off its 34th anniversary edition Thursday (Nov. 2), it will feature 127 films screening over the course of six days.
By my count, that’s more than 21 films a day on average – which presents a quandary for film fans, even with the return this year of a streaming component.
One solution: You could just dive into a multiverse and make up your own rules. That seems to be pretty popular now in the film world.
Or, read on for seven of my quick-hit recommendation for this year’s fest, based on a blend of advance screenings, film fest recommendations and industry buzz, all arranged according to screening date.
Even with a list this short, there is a bit of temporal overlap. But that’s OK. Tough decisions build character.
Or you could just go the multiverse route.
Either way, happy festing!
“Musica!” (dir. Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman | 1 hour 13 minutes | Southern premiere) In 2018, the New Orleans Film Festival ended on an high note with “A Tuba to Cuba,” chronicling the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s two-week musical mission to the island country. This year, we get an unofficial companion piece in “Musica!,” which follows young Cuban musicians as they hone their craft, culminating with a trip to New Orleans and a performance at Pres Hall.
When and where: 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 2) at the Prytania Uptown; and 12:30 p.m. Monday (Nov. 6) at Canal Place.
“Off Ramp” (dir. Nathan Tape | 1 hour 31 minutes | U.S. premiere) Easily one of the most pleasant surprises of this year’s lineup is this locally shot indie road farce, about two dedicated Juggalos – that is, fans of the notorious horrorcore hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse – who set out on a journey to reunite with their face-painting brethren at the annual Juggalo Gathering. Allegedly inspired by real events, it is every bit as depraved as you’d expect, mining sex, drugs and violence for comedic shock value. At the same time, it’s disarmingly sweet stuff, a surprisingly empathetic salute to the overlooked and the underestimated that functions equally well as an ode to the value of family in all its forms. “Whoop! Whoop!,” indeed.
When and where: Screens 7:45 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 4) at the Prytania Uptown and 7 p.m. Tuesday (Nov. 7) at Canal Place. Available via streaming beginning Nov. 2.
“American Fiction” (dir. Cord Jefferson | 1 hour 47 minutes) The always great Jeffrey Wright stars in arguably the highest-profile selection in this year’s lineup, a comedic drama about a novelist who sets out to satirize the entertainment industry’s insultingly unimaginative approach to Black culture – only to transform into exactly the kind of artist he despises. This will be one for award-season fans to watch, as first-time director Cord Jefferson’s film won the coveted People’s Choice Award at September’s Toronto International Film Festival, instantly thrusting it into the Oscar conversation.
When and where: Screens 5 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 4) at the Prytania Uptown.
“The Precipice” (dir. Ben Johnson | 1 hour 22 minutes) The New Orleans Film Festival has long made it a point to represent indigenous cultures, and this year is no different. In addition to such short films as “Ekbah” and “Isle of Memories,” both of which screen as part of the festival’s Louisiana shorts program “Gumbo,” there’s this Louisiana Public Broadcasting production showcasing the continued impact of coastal erosion on Louisiana through the story of the Pointe-au-Chien people and their ever-more-dire effort to save their way of life. At times both funny and touching, it provides a personal and impactful view from the front lines of the fight against climate change.
When and where: Screens 2:30 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 4) at the Broad Theater and 5:15 p.m. Tuesday (Nov. 7), also at the Broad. Available via streaming starting Nov. 2.
“All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt” (dir. Raven Jackson | 1 hour 37 minutes | Louisiana premiere) Monday’s screening of writer-director Raven Jackson’s feature debut isn’t just its Louisiana premiere. It’s a homecoming of sorts. Four years ago, Jackson’s lyrical drama – spanning decades in the life of a Black woman in Mississippi – won the festival’s 2019 South Pitch narrative competition. Now completed, it debuted at January’s Sundance Film Festival and has been making critics swoon at every stop it makes on the festival circuit. Now, it’s our turn.
When and where: Screens 7:30 p.m. Monday (Nov. 6) at the Prytania Uptown.
“Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story” (dir. Gelila Bekel and Armani Ortiz | 1 hour 55 minutes) It’s not really a secret: Hollywood multi-hyphenate Tyler Perry has a complicated history with his hometown of New Orleans. He’s proud of his local roots, of course, but his upbringing here was a painful one, marked by horrifying abuse. He’s acknowledged it over the years, but it’s clearly a topic he would rather avoid – until now, in the form of this documentary feature charting his journey to becoming one of Hollywood’s most successful independent producers. It won’t always be an easy watch, but Perry’s story is nothing if not inspiring, demonstrating just how far faith and forgiveness can take you.
When and where: Screens 7:30 p.m. Monday (Nov. 6) at the Contemporary Arts Center.
“Gumbo Coalition” (dir. Barbara Kopple | 1 hour 52 minutes | Southern premiere) Emmy winner and two-time Oscar winner Barbara Kopple directs a political documentary focusing on the intertwining missions of former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, who since 2003 has headed up the National Urban League, and Janet MurgurÍa, president of the Latin advocacy group UnidosUS. Following the two activist allies as they go about their daily fight for racial justice, Kopple’s film crackles with modern relevance, even as it delves into affectation here and there (such as a meeting between Morial and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker that feels cringingly choreographed). Regardless, it is inspiring stuff, shining a light on Morial and MurgurÍa’s respective journeys so far – including a nice spotlight on Morial’s legendary parents, Dutch and Sybil Morial – and on the long, hard journey ahead.
When and where: Screens 5 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 5) at the Prytania Uptown.
Mike Scott can be reached at [email protected].