Big-screen movies, such as “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Déjà Vu,” can easily attract audiences in theaters, but Louisiana is home to hundreds of filmmakers whose works may never have that kind of exposure.The Outhouse Film Festival exists for these filmmakers.In its 10th year, Outhouse offers the unique opportunity for any filmmakers to submit their work to be screened at the large, two-day film festival presented at the University.Each year, the LSU Cinema Club freely accepts submissions from filmmakers across the globe.The club then picks out the best films to present to the public in a free and open film festival.”The basic purpose of Outhouse has always been to bring local filmmakers together,” said Garick Giroir, president of the LSU Cinema Club. “We are trying to keep film alive in Louisiana.”Founded by the Cinema Club in the spring of 2000, Outhouse is one of Baton Rouge’s oldest film festivals and has grown from a small, one-day showing to a large event that has covered three days, included guest speakers, workshops and an awards ceremony.University alumnus Mark Landry was the original president of the Cinema Club and fondly recalls starting the club and Outhouse.”A bunch of friends and I were really interested in cinema and wanted to be filmmakers, so we got together, started making movies and formed the cinema club my junior year,” Landry said. “We saw that there was a lot of talent in the area and decided to try and bring them together with a film festival.”That first Outhouse, named so because Landry and the Cinema Club felt they were on the outskirts of the sports-minded LSU community, was nine-straight hours of film on a Saturday afternoon in the spring of 2000.”It started out as an experiment, but after 200 people showed up that first day, we thought we may keep doing this,” Landry said.After graduating from the University, Landry attended the University of Southern California’s film school and now works as a producer, editor and writer in Los Angeles.Filmmakers at the University have followed in his footsteps.For Brady Crane, Outhouse has been something he grew up with since he attended the first meetings with his older brothers.”I have a real appreciation for Outhouse,” said Crane, a 24-year-old sociology junior at BRCC. “The festival helps to inspire young filmmakers and gives them a fun reason to pursue working with film.”Crane, along with his three brothers, started a production group called Crane Films and has submitted movies and short films to Outhouse since its inception.”Outhouse has been a great way for me to network and get to know people not only as filmmakers but as friends,” Crane said. “I want to see this continue to get bigger and help the local film industry.”The Crane Brothers will premiere their third feature-length movie “For Hearts” in the Cox Communications Center for Student-Athletes as a non-competition entry at 7 p.m. Saturday.For other filmmakers, such as Travis Hedges Williams, Outhouse provides a rare chance for their films to be seen by a larger audience.”One of the hardest things about being at the independent level of filmmaking is getting a venue to show off your movie,” Williams said.Williams, general studies junior, randomly found out about the festival while in high school and has participated in seven Outhouse Film Festivals since.”Baton Rouge has a small but growing community of filmmakers,” Williams said. “Outhouse is about fostering this community. It motivates filmmakers to make something because they know it has a good chance to be seen.”Williams and his production group Hedges Pictures will be premiering three pieces at Outhouse: the comedy “Dance World Revelations,” a horror piece called “Lost Island of Laveau” and a music video entitled “Dangerous Games.”The 10th annual Outhouse Film Festival will run Saturday and Sunday starting at 12 p.m. each day in Dodson Auditorium, except for the film “For Hearts.”The festival will conclude with an awards ceremony at 5 p.m. on Sunday, honoring the best pictures of the festival as judged by the Cinema Club.Outhouse is free and open to the public. A full listing of movies and times can be found on the Outhouse Film Festival Facebook or MySpace pages.—-Contact Jake Clapp at [email protected]