New Orleans Film Festival runs Oct. 10-16

Last year I attended the New Orleans Film Festival for the first time. It was one of the best fests I've experienced.

I spent three days watching good films and hobnobbing with documentary filmmakers. NOFF lacked all pretense. Filmmakers and fans alike just showed up for screening times and chatted in the lobbies about their projects and interests. At once both casual and engaging.

I also followed Allison Bohl (Bossier City native, right) and Connie Castille (left), who took home the Louisiana Filmmaker Award for "I Always Do My Collars First."

This year, the fest runs Oct. 10-16. Highly recommend you attend.

The full schedule will be released Sept. 18 and I'll post it here. Tickets go on sale Sept. 29. For now, we know it will showcase 130 new films. Categories are Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, Animation and Experimental.

Keep a special eye on schedule for Oct. 12, for it will be I Love Louisiana Day, a showcase of Louisiana films and filmmakers. Perhaps we'll see some local work get a premiere there.

Stay tuned. For more details, log on to http://www.neworleansfilmfest.com/.