Ozark Foothills FilmFest Presents “A FilmFest Fais Do-Do”
Event to Feature Cajun Music and Jambalaya Cook-Off
Ozark Foothills FilmFest will screen J’ai ete au bal (I Went to the Dance), the definitive film on the history of the toe-tapping, foot-stomping music of French Southwest Louisiana by documentary film pioneer Les Blank. The film includes profiles of and performances by Cajun and Zydeco greats Michael Doucet, Marc and Ann Savoy, D.L. Menard, Clifton Chenier and others. Filmmaker Les Blank, the subject of numerous retrospectives, including “Les Blank: Ultimate Insider” presented by the Museum of Modern Art in 2011, was a director, producer, and cinematographer who made films about American idioms.> From his earliest works in the mid 1960s until his death this year, he focused on American-based musicians, artists, filmmakers, and local characters who inspire others through their own creative outlook on life.
The screening will be followed by a reception and Jambalaya Cook-Off. The Cook-Off will be judged by 2012 Arkansas Diamond Chef Award winner Jason Knapp, former executive chef to Governor Mike Beebe and currently executive chef at the University of Central Arkansas. Following the judging, guests will have an opportunity to sample some of the Cook-Off entries and taste other Louisiana themed delicacies.
The screening and reception, titled “A FilmFest Fais Do-Do,” takes place on Saturday, September 21. The film screening begins at 7:00 PM at Fellowship Bible Church (the Landers Theater building), 332 E. Main Street in Batesville. After the screening, guests will gather at Elizabeth’s Restaurant, 231 E. Main Street, for the Jambalaya Cook-Off judging and event reception. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door and may be purchased at Elizabeth’s Restaurant or by calling 870-251-1189. Additional information about the event is available at www.ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org/fais_do_do.
The event is presented by Ozark Foothills FilmFest, Inc., an educational non-profit organization established in 2001 and dedicated to excellence and accessibility in the media arts.
