Every October, directors, producers, writers and film lovers alike gather by the hundreds in New Orleans, a fitting backdrop for one of the fastest-growing regional film festivals in the country.
The New Orleans Film Festival, now in its 25th year, has called the Crescent City home for its entire existence, a deft choice given the city’s reputation for cuisine, eclectic atmosphere and passion for art of all sorts.
Originally conceived as a passing thought by a couple New Orleanians passionate about film back in 1988, the crowded festival of today bears nearly no resemblance to its quaint predecessor 25 years ago ago.
Hosted perennially by the New Orleans Film Society, the festival will run from Oct. 16 to Oct. 23 this year at locations across the city. Mike Binder’s locally shot “Black and White,” starring Kevin Costner, will run on opening night at the Civic Theater, and the highly anticipated Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew documentary feature, “The Big Beat,” will round out this year’s selections on Oct. 23 at the Carver Theater. 
As expected, there are some bigger-name titles to draw crowds. Last year, the event screened “August: Osage County” and “Nebraska” early, both of which generally earned rave reviews and gone on to receive several Academy Award nominations. Appearances were also made by the cast and crew of Best Picture winner “12 Years A Slave.” 
This time around, the Society will screen such awards-season competitors as “Dear White People,” “Foxcatcher,” and “Whiplash,” and also will replete with screenings of local and national featurettes alike.
“It’s the biggest lineup we’ve ever had,” said festival program director Clint Bowie. “We’re screening 237 films this year, about 15 more than
last year.” 
The higher number of screenings has brought an increase in attendance, which rose to nearly 22,000 in 2013, almost double what it was four years ago.
“I hate to pick one, but I’d say I’m most excited for ‘Below Dreams,’” Bowie said of Garrett Bradley’s locally made film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and has yet to be exposed to a mainstream audience.
What is perhaps most special about the New Orleans Film Festival is its connected method for choosing film selections. Of this year’s 237 films, 91 percent were chosen from a pool of submissions, a festival record of upwards of 2,100, while the other 9 percent were curated, representing a slew of the more intriguing
year-end films.