It’s only a wee bit longer until the fifth-annual Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival takes the city by storm once again.
The festival, which started in 2009, vows to introduce the rich Irish culture to the Baton Rouge community through films, music, art and literature.
Aaron Bayham, co-chairman of the 2013 Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival, said that the event helps showcase how important film is to Irish culture.
“Like in many cultures, film in Ireland is an outlet where history can be celebrated, social dialogue can be created and the future can be imagined,” Bayham said in an email to The Daily Reveille. “The Irish have seen plenty of happiness and suffering over the years and aren’t afraid to express both on screen.”
The four-day festival will kick off Friday with the Wee Irish Film Night at the Manship Theatre. Attendees will have the opportunity to watch seven short films and vote on their favorites.
At the end of the night, an award will be presented to the director of the Best Short Irish Film. A TV short, “Mrs. Brown Boys,” will also be screened but will not be judged.
Admission for the Wee Irish Film Night is $8.50, which includes all of the short films and refreshments.
On Saturday, the festival’s theme will center around Irish music and dance. The “An Rinceoir” dance workshop will be offered to young dancers in the Baton Rouge area. There will also be a screening of the documentary “A Bronx Dream,” which chronicles how Irish dancing touched the lives of children from the poverty-stricken areas of New York City.
Saturday is also dubbed “Festival Day,” in which three feature films and a documentary will be shown from 12:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Admission is $8.50 for each film.
Military Day, held on Sunday, will include the feature film “Fortress” at the Celtic Media Centre. Military Day will be free and open to the public.
Monday, the final night of the festival and also known as “Pub Night,” will take place at Phil Brady’s Bar and Grill.
The full-length film “Grabbers” will be shown at Pub Night, as well as another episode of “Mrs. Brown Boys.”
Pub Night is free and open to the public, and it also features $1 burgers with a cash bar.
Throughout the weekend, there will also be musical performances by the McTeggart Irish Dancers of Louisiana, the Na Cait Dubh Bagpipers and the band Wild Irish Roots.
The Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival is part of the growing film industry in Louisiana. Dubbed “Hollywood South,” Louisiana began to make its place in the film industry after the state’s legislature enacted the Louisiana Motion Picture Tax Incentive Act in 2002.
Productions such as “Pitch Perfect,” “21 Jump Street” and “True Blood” have all made Hollywood South their home and have helped the state’s economy by using Louisiana-based production companies, crews and talent.
The act entices production companies to shoot movies, TV shows and commercials in Louisiana by ensuring that “money spent on production costs within the borders of the state of Louisiana will qualify for the 30-percent tax credit,” according to the Louisiana Entertainment website.
Film and media arts senior Warren Mitchell believes that events like the Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival are important in adding to the growth of the Louisiana film industry.
“To have the film industry in Louisiana is very convenient for me,” Mitchell said. “This also benefits Louisiana tremendously, since it helps us become a bigger business and visitor outlet.”
For a full schedule of events as well as synopses for each film being shown at the Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival, visit the festival website at batonrougeirishfilmfestival.com.