These Winning Filmmakers Showed the Magic that Only Louisiana Holds

Audience Awards was proud to work with Louisiana Tourism to host the “Reel Louisiana Video Contest.” We invited filmmakers to submit works promoting tourism in the great state of Louisiana – the result? A jambalaya of videos celebrating the beauty, culture, and history of The Pelican State.

In first place was Up Above Louisiana from filmmaker DaCoda Bartels. A mix of soaring aerial shots and smaller, more intimate close ups of families at home and communities playing and dancing to local music, Bartels’ video is a celebration of the big and small in Louisiana.

In second place was Evan Moore’s Spice of Life which used gumbo and all its fragrant ingredients as a metaphor for the state’s diverse culture and history. The video will leave you hungry for a bowl of classic Louisiana gumbo and a trip to the state. Said Moore, “ I was inspired by the connection between food and culture, and I knew I wanted to use cooking as a metaphor for Louisiana’s unique diversity.”

Sarah Andry’s The Beat of Louisiana came in third, and for good reason. Her video puts on display the vibrant and rhythmic street music that so many have come to identify with the state, along with a slurry of quick cuts between local food, sites, and people.

In addition to the winners, there were seven honorable mentions: Only Louisiana by Will Crawford, Mavis Fruge – La Table Française d’Arnaudville by Bill Rodman, Exploring Louisiana July 2017 by Erick Sandoval, Mr. Okra by Christopher Stoudt, This Is The Real Louisiana by Dane DuPont, The Magic Of Louisiana by Paris Frederick, and A Glimpse Of Louisiana – Part 2 by Jeronimo Acero.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to our winners and a big thank you to everyone who submitted! You can view all of their films and the rest of the entries on the Reel Louisiana contest page!