New Orleans Film Festival kicks off Thursday

The 2010 New Orleans Film Festival runs Oct. 14-21 at various locations around New Orleans.

This year’s highlights include opening night film Welcome to the Rileys a New Orleans-set drama starring James Gandolfini, Melissa Leo and Kristen Stewart.

The festival’s centerpiece film, Black Swan, stars Natalie Portman in a Darren Aronofsky-directed psychological drama about a ballet dancer engaged in a disturbing rivalry with another dancer.

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Powerful 'Precious' packs a punch at New Orleans Film Festival

In terms of sheer emotional impact, it will be hard for any film at the 2009New Orleans Film Festival to surpass "Precious," Sunday night's (Oct. 11) headline feature.

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New Orleans Film Festival Kicks Off

The 20th annual New Orleans Film Festival kicked off Thursday night.
Over the next week, more than 10,000 people will attend the festival to watch more than 70 films at venues across the city.

After this year, a key part of the festival will never be the same.
The Canal Place Theater -- on the third floor at the Shoppes at Canal Place -- has been around for 20 years and has been a big part of the film festival's success.
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At 20 years old, New Orleans Film Festival is older, wiser -- but still focused on same mission

If there's a theme for the 20th anniversary New Orleans Film Festival, which released its lineup this week, it is this: survival.

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by Mike Scott, Movie critic, The Times-Picayune