Hundreds of Baton Rouge residents experienced French culture at the Shaw Center for the Arts on Friday night. The Center for French and Francophone Studies hosted the “Fifth Annual LSU Night of French Cinema: une nuit blanche à Baton Rouge!” at the Manship Theatre at the Shaw Center. The event sold out for the fifth year in a row.”What began as an eccentric all-night cinematic event turned into an LSU tradition,” said Sylvie Dubois, executive director of CFFS. The event started at 6 p.m. and lasted until 6 a.m.Todd Jacob, CFFS assistant director, said the title “une nuit blanche à Baton Rouge,” meaning “a white night in Baton Rouge,” is a concept born in Paris.”Places would stay open all night,” Jacob said. “The lights would stay on — the place never closes.”CFFS showed four films throughout the night, with four intermissions for wine, cheese, pastries, desserts, coffee and breakfast. The first film, “The Chorus,” featured a teacher who inspired a seemingly hopeless group of boarding school delinquents through music.”It’s one of the best movies I’ve ever seen,” said Carol Lammi-Keefe, nutrition professor. Lammi-Keefe said this year was her third at the event.”I love culture, food and people,” she said. “I look for opportunities that give me that.”The second film, “The Necessities of Life,” told the story of an Inuit father who develops tuberculosis and becomes separated from his family and culture for treatment at a Quebec hospital.By the third film, less than half of the audience remained.The third film, “I Killed My Mother,” was the story of a teenage boy who is constantly at odds with his mother.And only the dedicated remained for the fourth film, “Tanguy” — a comedy about a Ph.D. student who continues to live with his parents, much to their dismay and failed attempts to be rid of him.Jacob said the event is more than just a French film festival.”It’s a rare and unique international gathering in Baton Rouge,” he said. “It encompasses culture, food, wine and the overall French and Francophone experience.”Jacob said European films are more liberal with the subjects they approach in their films.”In American cinema, certain subjects are taboo,” he said. “Some issues are never put up-front and center. I hope people walk away from this being exposed to something they otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to.”Abby Stein, political science junior, said this year was her first at the event.  “I came out for a little slice of French culture,” she said. “But the free food and drinks doesn’t hurt either.” –Contact Sarah Eddington at [email protected]