Louisiana Public Broadcasting will premiere a new documentary film focusing on the origin and evolution of the Cajun identity.
The film, Finding Cajun, was directed by Nathan Rabalais and will look at how Cajuns compare to the present-day Acadians in maritime Canada, a community that is supposedly at the historical root of Cajun ethnicity.
The film also explores how cultural and racial labels in Louisiana have shifted, especially over the past 70 years, and considers the stakes of maintaining (or losing) heritage languages in the United States.
Finding Cajun will premiere on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 7:00 PM.
LPB says that, through the film, Rabalais attempts to offer a “wider picture” of how Cajun identity has evolved over time.
“The question of language and cultural identity in Louisiana is something that has fascinated me for years. The history of the French language's presence in Louisiana is so often oversimplified in popular media and tourism,” he said.
From New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to the bayous of Louisiana, LPB says that viewers will discover the diversity and complexity of South Louisiana’s French- and Creole-speaking communities and see how Americanization, issues of race, and language shift have reshaped the cultural landscape of Louisiana.
“The Cajun people and Louisiana culture are just some of the many things that make Louisiana unique and fascinating,” says Jason Viso, LPB Director of Programming. “Sharing these stories is what LPB does best. We are happy to bring this film to our viewers.”
With his videographer and brother David, Rabalais’ gathers perspectives from sources including historians and authors Shane Bernard, Ph.D., and Carl Brasseaux, Ph.D., as well as well-known Cajun folklorist and author Barry Ancelet.
“I'm really excited to have the film shown on LPB. Even while we were making the film, I thought that it would be the perfect outlet to reach a wider audience interested in Louisiana history and culture,” says Rabalais. “Public media like LPB is so important in giving local independent filmmakers a chance to showcase their work, and LPB is a reliable source of quality content that speaks to our unique region. Hopefully, the film will give LPB's viewers a chance to delve deeper into their understanding of cultural identity and French in Louisiana.”
Finding Cajun premieres on LPB Wednesday, March 10 at 7:00 PM.
Immediately, following will be an encore showing of the LPB produced documentary The Spirit of a Culture: Cane River Creoles (8:30 PM) which delves into the Cane River Creole identity struggle.
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