September 11, 2020

In this episode, I speak with Fallon Young, Executive Director of the New Orleans Film Society about the plans for the New Orleans Film Festival and other programs in the time of COVID-19, “regional” documentary filmmakers, the George Floyd Uprising, and the specific, anti-racism remedies that are being put into place. Since the motto of the Crescent City is, “Laissez les bon temps rouler,” and there is no better place to be, just let the late, great Fats Domino take you there with the classic song, “Walking to New Orleans.”

Photo Credit: Stephen Quinones

Image Description: Fallon Young stands slightly to the side and smiles at the camera. She has red hair and wears a black dress that has a black and gold design, and a gold necklace.

Image Description: New Orleans Film Society Logo

Fallon’s Bio

Fallon Young is Executive Director for the New Orleans Film Society, an organization that discovers, cultivates, and amplifies diverse voices of filmmakers who tell the stories of our time. Fallon and her staff produce the Oscar-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival annually and invest year-round in building a vibrant film culture in the South to share transformative cinematic experiences with audiences, and connect dynamic filmmakers to career-advancing resources. New Orleans Film Society's labs and granting programs have supported over 60 narrative and documentary filmmakers. Prior to moving to New Orleans, she spent a decade in San Francisco, where she ran a multi-disciplinary arts, and cultural center, and developed a passion for supporting emerging artists and storytellers.

WuWD Podcast S1E8 Transcript - Fallon Young - New Orleans Film Society

About the New Orleans Film Society

The New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) discovers, cultivates, and amplifies diverse voices of filmmakers who tell the stories of our time. They produce the Oscar®-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) annually and invest year-round in building a vibrant film culture in the South to share transformative cinematic experiences with audiences, and connect dynamic filmmakers to career-advancing resources.

New Orleans shines ever brighter as an epicenter of culture and creativity during the NOFF, with 500+ filmmakers from every corner of the world in attendance at 220+ films. NOFS sees their greatest impact in the exchange of ideas that occurs when an anticipated 30,000 people gather over the course of 8 days to champion film in New Orleans and engage with visionary films, directors, and other film lovers. NOFF is one of the few film festivals that is Oscar®-qualifying in all three Academy-accredited categories. The festival makes the following commitments to artists:

- 90% of the 230+ films in the festival will come from submissions, ensuring New Orleans Film Festival is a place of discovery where all voices have an opportunity to be heard

- 50% or more of the films will be helmed by women and gender non-conforming filmmakers

- 45% or more will be helmed by filmmakers of color

NOFS also cultivates the voices of Southern filmmakers through Emerging Voices, a nationally recognized mentorship program for filmmakers of color, and other initiatives such as Southern Producers Lab, and the annual South Pitch competition during the NOFF. Filmmakers from beyond our region also benefit from the Film Society’s professional development panels and roundtables and facilitated networking events, such as the Industry Exchange, which facilitates hundreds of curated one-on-one meetings between filmmakers and influential industry participants.