Beauty and the Beasts
Even amid the Hollywood South boom, the 2012 film Beasts of the Southern Wild was a rarity: It’s a movie made in Louisiana, about Louisiana, featuring Louisiana actors. Nominated for four Academy Awards, the magical realist drama centers on a fictitious Louisiana bayou community called “Bathtub” and a strong-willed 6-year-old named Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) and her father Wink (Dwight Henry, of buttermilk Drop fame). Propelling the film is an exuberant score by Lafayette band Lost Bayou Ramblers. On Oct. 10, the Saenger Theater is hosting the New York-based Wordless Music Orchestra’s screening of the film, accompanied by a live performance of director’s Benh Zeitlin’s score by that group and the Lost Bayou Ramblers. It promises to be a wild experience.
Information, SaengerNOLA.com
Celluloid Celebration
The New Orleans Film Festival typically opens with a bang, screening the big-ticket film of the fest. But this year the opening night promises even more glitz, as it will be held at the newly restored Orpheum Theater. This year’s fest (Oct. 14-22) also has another first: This year’s documentary short category is Oscar-qualifying. Featuring 24 films selected for competition, the 26th annual fest will take place in venues across the city. Information, NewOrleansFilmSociety.org
Start the Ignition
The creators of the sci-fi Carnival parade Chewbacchus are creating a Burning Man in New Orleans, except here, the “desert” is New Orleans East, it’s only two days long and you don’t have to rely on the barter system (there will be food trucks). Ignition Festival (Oct. 15-17) promises “collaborative art and camping” and a Wookie effigy that will be burned. Information, IgnitionFestival.com
CALENDAR
Oct. 1-11. Hell Yes Fest comedy festival, various locations. Information, HellYesFest.com
Oct. 3. Art for Art’s Sake, Warehouse Arts District and Magazine Street. Information, NewOrleansArtsDistrict.com
Oct. 9-11. Gentilly Fest, Pontchartrain Park. Information, GentillyFest.com
Oct. 9-10, 16-17 & 23-24. Oktoberfest, Rivertown. Information, OktoberfestNola.com
Oct. 10. Japan Fest, New Orleans Museum of Art. Information, NOMA.org
Oct. 10-11. Carnaval Latino, various locations. Information, CarnavaLatinoLa.com
Oct. 11. Celebracion Latina, Audubon Zoo. Information, AudubonInstitute.org
Oct. 16-17 & 23-24. Boo at the Zoo, Audubon Zoo. Information, AudubonInstitute.org
Oct. 16-18. Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, Lafayette Square Park. Information, JazzAndHeritage.org/Blues-Fest
Oct. 17. Anba Dlo Halloween Festival, New Orleans Healing Center. Information, AnbaDloFestival.org
Oct. 23-34. Ghosts in the Oaks, City Park. Information, FriendsOfCityPark.com
Oct. 24. O What a Night! Gala, Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Information, OgdenMuseum.org
Oct. 28-Nov. 1. Words & Music festival, Hotel Monteleone. Information, WordsAndMusic.Org
Oct. 29-Nov. 1. Halloween New Orleans: A benefit for Project Lazarus, various locations. Information, HalloweenNewOrleans.com
Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Voodoo Music + Arts Experience, City Park. Information, WorshipTheMusic.com
