#CreateLouisiana Winner Announced
Deep South Studios, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and the New Orleans Film Society awarded the inaugural 2015 #CreateLouisiana Filmmakers Grant to Director Nailah Jefferson and Producer Jon Wood, for their short film project, Plaquemines, about a town in despair that estranges father and son. The announcement was made at the final screening of the 2015 New Orleans Film Festival.
A total of 37 filmmaking teams applied for the #CreateLouisiana Filmmakers Grant, with teams from around the state submitting projects that highlighted the great indigenous talent in Louisiana. Five finalists were chosen to present their projects at the 2015 New Orleans Film Festival. Jefferson and Wood won the grant, plus mentorship and professional services. The grant provides Louisiana filmmakers with a unique opportunity to showcase their talent and the ongoing strength of the state’s creative economy. Finalists were:
- Destiny is an Outlaw, directed by Daneeta Loretta Jackson, produced by Patrick Jackson
- Drive Through, directed by Luisa Dantas, produced by Gianna Chachere
- Elnora, directed by Kira Akerman, produced by Josh Penn
- Forked Island, directed by Nicholas Campbell, produced by Marcus & Yvette Brown
The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) partnered with Deep South Studios and the New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) to offer the inaugural #CreateLouisiana Filmmakers Grant, an industry-building program designed to recognize and celebrate the creative industries in Louisiana, including all of the burgeoning, indigenous filmmakers that contribute to Louisiana’s vibrant creative economy. Applicants were required to have lived in the state for at least 12 months prior to the grant deadline. The winning film is to be completed within 12 months, with the finished project set to screen at the 2016 New Orleans Film Festival.
Click here to read more about the #CreateLouisiana shortlist.
