Located in the heart of Cajun country, the annual eight-day Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival is an international juried film festival dedicated to presenting narrative, documentary, animated and experimental films and filmmakers with truly original voices in one of the friendliest, most unique cultures in the world. COTB is also committed to promoting both established and emerging filmmakers and the relationship-building that is crucial to their continued work.

Cinema on the Bayou, Louisiana's second oldest film festival, was founded in 2006 in Lafayette, Louisiana, by filmmaker Pat Mire after Hurricane Katrina caused the cancellation of the New Orleans Film Festival in the fall of 2005. Pat was contacted by the National Film Board of Canada, which offered a U.S. premiere of the documentary MAROON, by famed Quebecois filmmaker Andre Gladu, which was originally scheduled to premiere in New Orleans. Cinema on the Bayou was launched in response, and Gladu and his film opened the inaugural Festival. Pat continues to serve as Artistic Director of the Festival.

Since 2006, Cinema on the Bayou has presented hundreds of internationally acclaimed documentary, narrative fiction, animated and experimental films, with filmmakers in attendance from across the United States and around the world. The Festival is now unique among film festivals in the U.S. in that it also regularly screens a large number of French-language independent films and presents filmmakers from throughout the Francophone world. The Festival also has the distinction among film festivals of having given the Audience Award to Moonbot Studio's animated film THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE one year before the film was nominated for and won an Academy Award in the animated short category.

In January 2024, the 19th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival screened over 160 films from across the United States and from around the world, including 51 French-language films, over the course of the eight-day Festival. Filmmakers, actors, producers and other industry professionals were in attendance from Japan; Brazil; Australia; Canada, including Montreal, Moncton, Vancouver, Toronto and Gaspésie; and from across the United States, including Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle, Austin, Dallas, Shreveport, New Orleans, Lafayette and Breaux Bridge, Louisiana and Iowa.

Cinema on the Bayou was selected as the Editors' Choice for "goings-on in the South and beyond" by Garden and Gun Magazine. Describing our Cajun Country setting as a "stew of French, Spanish, and African influences," the Editors concluded that it was an ideal spot for Cinema on the Bayou, an international film festival "charged with exposing attendees to the most original voices in film while fostering cultural exchange among the French-speaking peoples of the world."

Cinema on the Bayou also made the list of the Top 15 Winter Film Festivals in the U.S. by AudNews, an on-line magazine for filmmakers and film lovers.

Over the years, the Festival also has earned the respect of its many loyal filmmaker alums who come from around the world to share in the joie de vivre that defines the culture here. It says a lot about the festival that these highly talented independent filmmakers not only make repeat visits to Cinema on the Bayou, but also recommend the Festival to their filmmaker colleagues.

Cinema on the Bayou also has partnered with several independent film distribution companies and festivals in the United States, Canada, South America, Japan and Europe in order to facilitate relationships designed to provide opportunities for filmmakers to reach wider, more diverse audiences.

The Festival is committed to creating these essential connections amid exquisite Cajun cuisine, amazing local music performances, and thought-provoking discussions, both on expert panels and at after-hours parties, about all that is near and dear to that creature known as the independent filmmaker.

FILM CATEGORIES: Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Animated Short and Experimental Short.

SCREENING COMMITTEES AND JUDGES: The Festival screening committees include filmmaker alums, and the roster of judges regularly consists of both festival programmers and filmmaker alum award-winners from previous Festivals, including Olivier "Bill" Bilodeau, Wendell Riley, Bruce Allen, Andy Cope, Louise Lamarre, Melanie Carrier, Olivier Higgins, Helgi Piccinin, Shaan Couture, John Blouin, Edward Tyndall, and Bonnie Friedman.

AWARDS: The "goujon caille" (the spotted catfish -- Cajun culture's most prized catfish) award, by renowned artists Pat and Andre Juneau, is given in the following categories:

Director's Choice Special Jury Award
Le Train Bleu Award
Best Narrative Feature Award
Special Jury Award - Narrative Feature
Best Narrative Short Award
Special Jury Award - Narrative Short
Best Documentary Feature Award
Special Jury Award - Documentary Feature
Best Documentary Short Award
Special Jury Award - Documentary Short
Best Animated Short Award
Special Jury Award - Animated Short
Best Experimental Short Award
Special Jury Award - Experimental Short
Inspiration Award
Audience Award

FESTIVAL PASSES AND LODGING: For all filmmakers whose films are accepted, Cinema on the Bayou offers two all-access passes for filmmakers in attendance and complimentary lodging for up to two nights per film for filmmakers traveling from outside the United States and for one night per film for filmmakers traveling from outside Louisiana. The Festival also offers reduced rates at the Festival hotel for filmmakers and their guests attending the Festival. Additionally, the Festival provides plenty of after-hours food and drink for our visiting filmmakers, including nightly after-parties at the "Cinema on the Bayou House." As Founder and Artistic Director Pat Mire likes to say, "we weigh them when they arrive and again when they leave, and I promise you, no one looses weight at Cinema on the Bayou!"

FILM CATEGORIES: Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival is open to all narrative, documentary, animated and experimental films of all styles and subjects, as well as foreign language films. Foreign language films must have English subtitles.

ELIGIBILITY: The film must have been completed after January 31, 2023.

PREMIERE REQUIREMENTS: Preference will be given to World, North American, U.S. and Louisiana premieres. Films that have screened publicly in Lafayette, Louisiana or within a 75 mile radius of Lafayette, as well as film that have been released in theaters or on VOD or other streaming outlets are NOT eligible for submission. By submitting the film, the filmmaker (or other person submitting) confirms that the film has not been and will not be screened in Lafayette, Louisiana or within a 75 mile radius or released on VOD or other streaming outlets prior to Cinema on the Bayou 2025.

SUBMISSION FORMAT AND REQUIREMENTS: An online screener must be submitted by the applicable submission deadline via FilmFreeway.

SCREENING HISTORY: Please include with your submission the screening history of the film and its premiere status, and please keep this information updated. While a cover letter is not required, we welcome one with information concerning your interest in Cinema on the Bayou and your inspiration for the film.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Please include with your submission your physical address as well as the best number and email by which to contact you.

RECEIPT AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Receipt of your entry will be acknowledged via FilmFreeway.

PAYMENT: Submission fees should be paid via FilmFreeway.

EXHIBITION FORMAT: If your film is accepted, the Festival must receive, as directed by Festival staff, by Friday, January 3, 2025, the following: an exhibition copy of the film in the following formats: a digital (downloadable) file such as .MOV or MP4 less than 10 GB in size. Please do not send a DCP unless specifically requested by the Festival staff. We do screen some films on-line, in addition to in-person, during the Festival and the weekend following the Festival, including award-winners. Please let us know if you DO NOT want your film screened on-line.

The filmmaker agrees to be responsible for all shipping and insurance costs for shipping exhibition materials to the Festival.

To receive the return of a copy of a film hard drive or jump drive, the filmmaker must enclose a self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage with the exhibition copy.

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF ENTRY: Cinema on the Bayou reserves the right to disqualify any submission without refund of submission fees.

By submitting the film, the filmmaker (or other person submitting) confirms that the film has not and will not be screened in Lafayette, Louisiana or within a 75 mile radius from Lafayette, and has not been released in theaters or on VOD or other streaming outlets prior to COTB 2025. He or she also confirms that he or she is authorized to submit the film, has cleared or will clear all intellectual property rights necessary for the screening of the film at this film festival, and holds harmless Cinema on the Bayou from any liability arising from the submission or use of the film and film promotional materials and photos. All submissions become the property of Cinema on the Bayou unless provision is made by the filmmaker for return of materials at the filmmaker's cost. If the film is accepted, it is with the understanding that clips and trailers from the film and photos and other promotional materials submitted by the filmmaker may be used to promote the Festival.

Cinema on the Bayou does not pay screening fees or guarantee travel or distribution for filmmakers.

All accepted films may be screened more than once and are scheduled at the discretion of the Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival staff. We do screen a small number of films on-line via EVENTIVE, in addition to in-person, to provide greater audience access to the films during the Festival and through the weekend following the Festival, often including Festival award-winners. Please let us know if you DO NOT want your film screened on-line, in addition to in-person.

Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes. The Festival is also hereby granted the right to utilize images and/or biographical information of the filmmakers for promotional purposes and, by submitting these images and information, the filmmaker confirms his or her rights to allow COTB to use them and also holds COTB harmless regarding such usage.

By completing the online entry form, the person submitting the film acknowledges his/her full and complete acceptance of the terms hereof and that he/she has read and complies with all 2025 Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival Terms of Entry.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Nadine Wilson

    Sorry we could not attend the screening of Wuss (as we are in the UK and getting to all of them is just soo difficult). But thank you so much for selecting us. The communication and friendliness of festival was spot on!

    April 2024
  • Cy Sheffield

    I had an amazing experience at Cinema on The Bayou. Pat and Rebecca really know how to make you feel at home!

    March 2024
  • Patricia Gruben

    It's a great small festival that focuses on community and accessibility, with a strong sense of social responsibility and a unique connection to Francophone films through the culture of the area. I saw a lot of great work from Quebec, and they took good care of me and my film.

    February 2024
  • Tamara Cook

    What an incredible experience! I am truly grateful to Pat Mire and Rebecca for the inclusion of 'Y' in the 19th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival. This festival is 100%, truly special. Pat and Rebecca are deeply passionate, kind and thoroughly welcoming...they LOVE film, plus they love a good time!! We saw incredibly diverse and beautifully selected films, ate home made Cajun food, drank fabulous wine and danced to Zydeco music. The whole experience of being in Lafayette and Louisiana was truly special. I recommend any independent filmmaker to enter their projects to this truly one of a kind film festival. My best festival experience ever. Enormous gratitude to the team x**

    February 2024
  • Sadly, I wasn't able to attend due to illness but the festival organizers could not have been nicer, more hospitable or more welcoming, offering to pick up at the airport and help arrange housing. Bill Bilodeau made the tech side of things (deliverables) super-easy & stress-free. Highly recommend this festival!

    February 2024