Film on zydeco’s Rosie Ledet to premiere at Experience Louisiana Festival

Film buffs and people who enjoy good stories are in for a rare treat at the Experience Louisiana Festival scheduled Oct. 17 and 18 on the LSUE campus.
Award-winning filmmaker and Eunice native Pat Mire has organized a two-day film spectacular for the festival highlighted by the debut of “Rosie’s in the House Tonight” at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 17 in the West Auditorium of the LSUE Community Education Building.
“Rosie’s in the House Tonight” is afilm by Robert Mugge, an internationally known filmmaker, on famed zydeco musician Rosie Ledet.
Mire, who is actually from Mire, and based in Lafayette, and Mugge will make themselves available for question and answer sessions with festival-goers both days of the festival.
Mire replied to some emailed questions recently about the film portion of the festival.
Why should people stop in and see the films?
“Hopefully people will take advantage of the opportunity to view these entertaining and culturally significant films. The screenings are free and the setting is informal and one which allows people to come and go as they please. This lends itself to seeing both outdoor performances and some high quality films.”
How important is it for a film to premiere at the festival?
“It really is quite a generous offering for a first time festival to get a World Premiere from a world renowned filmmaker like Robert Mugge. The opening film, “Rosie’s in the House Tonight,” is the unveiling of a brand new, never before seen film on Rosie Ledet.”
What should we expect from the Q&A with you and Mugge?
“I have participated on a film panel with my old friend Bob Mugge several years back and he brings a lot of years of experience to the table. I have been around the block a few times and he has been around it several times. He has been dubbed everything from “the king of the American music documentary” (LA Weekly) to “the best music filmmaker on the planet” (Liberation, Paris). It should be a lot of fun and colorful!”
What made you decide to take a role in the Experience Louisiana Festival?
“I am from Eunice and feel very lucky as to what my people and culture have given me. When I first met with Lynn Lejeune, Pat Dossman and Dwight Jodon and saw their passion to have this festival realized, I could only say that I would do everything I could to help. I am delighted to be part of this festival and look forward to its success.”
Besides the film on famed zydeco musician Rosie Ledet, the other films and film events on Saturday include:
12:25 to 12:40 p.m. Q & A with director Robert Muggee and producer Diana Zelman.
12:45 to 1:56 p.m. “The Kingdom of Zydeco” by Robert Mugge (1994) 71 minutes.
2 to 2:30 p.m. Panel discussion — “Documentary Filmmaking” with Mugge and Mire.
2:45 to 4:40 p.m. “New Orleans Music in Exile” by Robert Mugge (2006) 113 minutes.
4:40 to 5 p.m. Q & A with Mugge and producer Diana Zelman and closing remarks.
On Sunday, film events include:
11 a.m. “No One Ever Went Hungry” by Kevin McCaffrey, followed by Q&A with Filmmaker, 58 minutes.
“No One Ever Went Hungry” was awarded the 2012 Louisiana Humanities Documentary of the Year.
12:45 p.m. “Good for What Ails You” by Glen Pitre, traiteur healing, 57 minutes.
2 p.m. “I Always Do My Collars First” by Conni Castille, 22 minutes.
2:45 p.m. Screening of “Coton Jaune” by Sharon Gordon Donnan and Suzanne Chaillot Breaux. Folk art with brown cotton, followed by Q&A with filmmakers, 38 min.
“This is a really big piece for us,” Jodon said the film portion of the festival.
At its core, the Experience Louisiana Festival is a fundraiser for the LSUE Foundation Scholarship Fund, the Eunice Chamber of Commerce and the Eunice Rotary Club, which is the primary donor to the Eunice Community Health Clinic.
Eunice Community Health Clinic offers free health care to working uninsured and others.