Experience the Legacy of Cajun Cinema: Special Screenings at the Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival in Lafayette

The Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival is gearing up to showcase two remarkable Cajun language films by Glen Pitre, a key figure in Cajun cinema. Known as the “father of Cajun Cinema” by American Film magazine and deemed “a legendary American regional director” by Roger Ebert, Pitre’s work is highly regarded.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m. The films will be shown at Citè Des Arts Downtown Lafayette Theater, located at 109 Vine St., Lafayette.

The featured films are “Yellow Fever” (La Fièvre Jaune) and “$8.50 a Barrel!” (Huit Piastres Et Demie!). Both films, presented fully in Cajun French with English subtitles, were hits in south Louisiana back in 1981.

After Hurricane Katrina, it seemed these films were lost forever due to extensive damage. Thankfully, a grant from the Golden Globes allowed IndieCollect to recover and restore these treasured pieces of American independent cinema.

Following the screenings, there will be a Q&A session with Glen Pitre. Guests can enjoy a reception featuring catfish courtbouillon while listening to Cajun music. You can buy tickets in advance at cinemaonthebayou2525.eventive.org.

“La Fièvre Jaune,” made in 1978, is set in 1897 during a yellow fever outbreak in Louisiana. The plot reveals the chaos and challenges families face when quarantined, echoing familiar themes from recent lockdowns due to COVID-19.

Pitre cast an all-Cajun ensemble for this poignant film.

“Huit Piastres Et Demie!” ($8.50 a Barrel), released in 1981, portrays life during the Great Depression when shrimp prices plummeted and fishermen went on strike. The story unfolds through the contrasting accounts of two elderly neighbors—one leading the strike and the other hired to break it. Their tales, recounted decades later, spark a vivid reenactment of the Shrimp War of 1938, complete with period costumes and antique vehicles.

If you’re curious about Pitre’s latest work, don’t miss “Mysterious Behaviors,” LSU’s first-ever student feature film, on Monday, Jan. 27, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the St. Landry Cinema in Opelousas. Admission is free.

For “Mysterious Behaviors,” Pitre collaborated with film instructor Paul Catalanotto during the 2023-24 school year, working with LSU student writers and directors. Over 100 students came together as cast and crew to weave a continuous story.

The film follows a curious, shapeshifting alien who integrates herself into campus life to study Earthling college students. Through her humorous mistakes and unexpected adventures, she discovers that humans are not as primitive as she initially thought.