Louisiana

Louisiana-shot ‘Nickel Boys’ is an artful triumph from a New Orleans Film Festival centerpiece

Published

1 year ago

January 13, 2025

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Louisiana-shot ‘Nickel Boys’ is an artful triumph from a New Orleans Film Festival centerpiece

There’s an easier way, of course. There’s always an easier way.

In the case of filmmaking, it’s called pandering.

Simply check off all the genre boxes that make audiences ooh and aah — big-name stars, dazzling visual effects, a third-act showdown involving superbeings in tights, capes or both — and, with a little good fortune, you’re on the road to a fat box office payday.

Lucky for us, RaMell Ross isn’t inclined to take the easier way.

The emerging filmmaker, whose photographs were the subject of an exhibit at New Orleans’ Ogden Museum of Southern Art from fall 2021 to spring 2022, didn’t take the easier way for his debut feature, the Sundance-decorated experimental documentary “Hale County This Morning, This Evening.”

Similarly, he doesn’t take the easier way for his latest film, the Louisiana-shot “Nickel Boys,” a searing and thrillingly unconventional adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name.

A New Orleans Film Fest centerpiece

Ross’ film served as a centerpiece selection of October’s New Orleans Film Festival. This week, it gets a limited local release, arriving as the Louisiana film industry’s best chance at leaving a mark on Hollywood’s currently unfolding award season.

And for good reason.

Built upon a nonlinear storyline and benefiting from beautiful cinematography steeped in a visual dreaminess suggestive of a hazy memory — though one repressed, not forgotten — Ross’ artfully audacious “Nickel Boys” eschews both convention and capes. Relying instead on his own invented filmic vocabulary, he in the process coaxes his audience into what becomes a riveting and unforgettable tale of the Jim Crow South.

At the center of it all is Elwood (Ethan Herisse), a gifted teenager whose bright future is suddenly derailed when he finds himself in the wrong place at the worst time.

Instead of heading for college, as was his plan, he is sentenced to a hellhole known as Nickel Academy.

Inspired by horrifying reality

Set in 1962 Tallahassee but filmed in late 2022 in Hammond, LaPlace, New Orleans, Ponchatoula and Thibodaux, it’s inspired by a horrifyingly real place: Florida’s now-defunct Dozier School for Boys, a reformatory that made headlines in 2009 when its shocking history of abuse spilled out into the open.

Elwood finds himself staring down the barrel of that ugliness the second he arrives at Nickel.

Fictional or not, it’s difficult to witness the unabashed racism and cruelty he must endure. Fortunately, he finds a friend in fellow inmate and kindred spirit Turner (Brandon Wilson).

They can’t stop the cruelty, but they bond over it, looking out for each other when possible. Fueled by Elwood’s stubborn optimism, they also dream of the day they can finally walk away from their shared hell.

If they get that chance.

Without giving anything away, it should be noted that “Nickel Boys” is not a feel-good film. It is a heartbreaker through and through. But that’s only because reality so often is, too.

Unusual point of view

There’s an argument to be made that Ross’ reliance on first-person point-of-view gets in the way of things from time to time. Intended to ramp up the pathos by putting the audience in the characters’ shoes, the technique to some extent has the opposite effect, blunting the emotional impact of the lead performances given that we’re looking through those characters’ eyes rather than into them.

As original as it feels, the first-person approach has been experimented with numerous times before, from Humphry Bogart’s turn in 1947’s “Dark Passage” to 2015’s “Hardcore Henry” and various points in between. All suffer from the same emotional disconnect to varying degrees.

That said, the sheer depth of emotion at work in “Nickel Boys” — the palpable anguish, the infuriating injustice, the heartrending loss — more than compensates for any perceived stylistic flaws.

Granted, there are less challenging movies in theaters right now, movies that take the easy way, ticking boxes and tickling the masses.

Few, however, crackle with the vitality of “Nickel Boys” — and few will likely stay with viewers as long.

Mike Scott can be reached at moviegoermike@gmail.com.

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‘NICKEL BOYS’

3.5 stars, out of 4

SNAPSHOT: Filmmaker RaMell Ross directs a searing and thrillingly unconventional adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning 2019 novel, about the experiences of two young black men sentenced to an abusive 1960s Southern reform school.

CAST: Ethan Herisse, Daveed Diggs, Brandon Wilson, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Jimmie Fails.

DIRECTOR: Ross.

RATED: PG-13 for racism, strong language including racial slurs, violence

TIME: 2 hours 20 minutes.

WHEN AND WHERE: Opens Friday (Jan. 17) at the Prytania Uptown, Broad Theater and Elmwood Palace.

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Louisiana

Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Welcomes Inaugural Class – Leaders for a Better Louisiana

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Welcomes Inaugural Class – Leaders for a Better Louisiana

Nearly 40 years after launching Louisiana’s premier statewide leadership development program, Leaders for a Better Louisiana is proud to announce the inaugural class of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows, marking an important new chapter in the organization’s longstanding commitment to developing informed, connected leaders equipped to address the state’s most pressing challenges.

Building on the proven model and legacy of Leadership Louisiana, the Health Fellows program brings together leaders from across healthcare, business, public policy, higher education, philanthropy, and community organizations to gain a deeper understanding of the systems, opportunities, and challenges shaping health outcomes across Louisiana. Throughout the year, fellows will participate in immersive sessions across the state, engaging directly with healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, workforce leaders, and innovators while exploring the issues that influence the health and well-being of Louisiana’s people and communities.

“The strength of Leadership Louisiana has always been its ability to bring together accomplished leaders from different sectors and regions to learn from one another while developing a broader understanding of our state,” said Sheree Blanchard, Director of Leadership Louisiana. “The Health Fellows program extends that tradition by focusing on one of Louisiana’s most significant opportunities for improvement. We are excited to welcome this outstanding inaugural class.”

The inaugural class represents a broad cross-section of Louisiana’s healthcare and civic leadership, with participants serving in hospitals, health systems, higher education, business, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and community-based organizations throughout the state. Together, they bring diverse expertise and perspectives that will strengthen dialogue and collaboration around Louisiana’s health challenges and opportunities.

“From the beginning, our vision was to create a program that mirrors the excellence and impact of Leadership Louisiana while taking a comprehensive look at the many factors that influence health outcomes,” said Blanchard. “This first class reflects the caliber of leadership we hoped to attract, and we look forward to watching these fellows build lasting relationships and develop new ideas that will benefit communities across Louisiana.”

Leadership Louisiana has graduated more than 1,600 leaders over nearly four decades, creating one of the state’s strongest cross-sector leadership networks. Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows builds on that foundation by providing participants with a focused exploration of Louisiana’s healthcare landscape while reinforcing the program’s longstanding commitment to collaboration, informed leadership, and service to the state.

The 2027 Health Fellows class will begin its yearlong experience this summer with sessions held in multiple regions of Louisiana.

View the complete roster of the Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows inaugural class.

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Louisiana

Heart of Louisiana: Lafitte Wetlands

Published

14 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

NEW ORLEANS, La (WVUE) – A new education center in the town of Jean Lafitte is giving visitors a chance to learn about south Louisiana’s coast.

Dave McNamara explores how the center combines history, culture, science, and a walk through a cypress swamp in the heart of Louisiana.

For more, visit the Heart of Louisiana archive here.

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Louisiana

Looking for a luxurious place to stay? These are Louisiana’s 6 best resorts

Published

24 hours ago

July 7, 2026

Press Room

Looking for a luxurious place to stay? These are Louisiana’s 6 best resorts

When you think of resorts, you probably think of hotels with expansive grounds, upscale amenities and all-inclusive packages.

While these types of resorts can surely be found in major-destination cities and foreign countries, Louisiana has its own resorts that are just as nice.

At Louisiana’s resorts, you can enjoy all the same amenities and stay at locations that are just as luxurious.

Plan your stays with Booking.com

Why these 6 resorts are the best in Louisiana for 2026

Travel US News has ranked the six best resorts in Louisiana based on hotel class rating, property type and guest reviews.

1. L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles

L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles is the best resort to stay in Louisiana, with a guest rating of 8.7 out of 10. More than just a nice place to stay, this resort offers premiere casino games, plenty of shopping, golfing opportunities, a spa, relaxing cabanas and upscale restaurants. The hotel also has business and fitness centers, and the rooms are in the modern arts and crafts style.

2. Caesars in New Orleans

Caesars in New Orleans is the second-best resort in Louisiana and has a guest rating of 7.9 out of 10. This resort has a great location within the Central Business District, making it near all the top attractions in the Crescent City. Here, there are plenty of dining and gambling opportunities. The rooms are equipped with standard amenities and are in a Louisiana-inspired style.

3. Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City

Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City is the third-best resort in Louisiana, with a guest rating of 8.7 out of 10. Strategically located across the Red River from Shreveport, this resort offers plenty to do, like testing your luck at the casino, spending a day by the pool, relaxing at the spa, eating delicious food at one of the restaurants or enjoying live entertainment at the performance hall.

4. Bally’s Casino & Hotel in Shreveport

Bally’s Casino & Hotel in Shreveport is among the best resorts in Louisiana and has a guest rating of 7.6 out of 10. Bally’s offers plenty of casino games and dining opportunities, and you can keep the night going with drinks and dancing at one of the lounges. The hotel offers business and fitness centers and the rooms come with standard amenities, like flat-screen TVs and minifridges.

5. Nottoway Plantation Resort in White Castle

Nottoway Plantation Resort in White Castle is one of the best resorts in Louisiana, as it is among the 4.0 star hotel class. This historic antebellum plantation, originally constructed in 1859, includes nine Acadian-style cottages, a salon, an outdoor pool, a fitness center and tennis courts. Visitors can tour the plantation house itself and embark on a guided tour of the on-site museum.

6. Cypress Bend Resort, a Wyndham Hotel in Many

Cypress Bend Resort, a Wyndham Hotel in Many is among the best resorts in Louisiana, with a guest rating of 7.7 out of 10. This hotel features two restaurants, a golf course, fitness center indoor and outdoor pools, as well as a bar and lounge. Belonging to the 3.0 star hotel class, this casual resort is the perfect spot for a quick getaway, as it’s set on 600 acres on Toledo Bend Lake.

Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com

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