Independent Film: Built on Zydeco
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Join the Arts Council as we present the 26-27 Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers: Built on Zydeco
Monday, October 12th at 7PM in the Kress Theatre in Downtown Alexandria.
Tickets can be purchased at the door: $10, free for students.
SYNOPSIS
Built on Zydeco is a Creole-directed documentary that celebrates the artists, legacy, and cultural impact of Zydeco music — one of Louisiana’s most powerful and enduring exports.
Filmed in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish — the capital of Zydeco — the documentary explores how this regional sound continues to define Louisiana’s identity while sustaining a multigenerational community of artists, dancers, and fans. This powerful documentary follows three iconic figures in Creole music — Keith Frank, Terrance Simien, and Reginald “Buckwheat Jr.” Dural — alongside a rich ensemble of fellow musicians. Through immersive vérité footage, dynamic live performances, and deeply personal interviews, the film tells a compelling story of rhythm, resilience, and the enduring spirit of Creole culture.
View Trailer at louisiana-arts.org
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR / PRODUCER
Milton Arceneaux, Dustin Cravins, and producer Robert Chevalier form the core creative team behind
Built on Zydeco, a Louisiana-based documentary project rooted in culture, place, and lived experience.
Together, they bring complementary perspectives shaped by long-standing relationships with the
communities and traditions documented in the film.
Arceneaux is a global award-winning photographer and filmmaker whose work focuses on Creole
culture, language, and identity in southwest Louisiana. His practice emphasizes cultural preservation, oral
history, and responsible storytelling rooted in trust, access, and lived experience. He is the director of
Built on Zydeco and organizer of the annual Creole Culture Day and the REFRAMING Cinema Film
Festival.
Cravins is a cultural advocate, Zydeco scholar, and member of a prominent Creole family with deep ties
to Louisiana’s Zydeco and French-speaking communities. As a culture bearer, he brings historical context,
musical knowledge, and linguistic framing to the film, ensuring the Creole French worldview is
authentically represented. His role strengthens the film’s mission to reclaim the story of Zydeco through
the voices of Creoles of Color.
Chevalier is a legal professional, community leader, and arts advocate whose work has long intersected
with artists, cultural institutions, and nonprofit organizations. As producer, he provides strategic oversight
for production management, fundraising, and legal clearances, ensuring the film is responsibly produced
and positioned for long-term sustainability and impact.
Meet the filmmaker for a Q&A after the screening.
Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts, a regional arts organization, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information about Southern Circuit please visit www.southarts.org/southerncircuit.
Monday, October 12th at 7PM in the Kress Theatre in Downtown Alexandria.
Tickets can be purchased at the door: $10, free for students.
SYNOPSIS
Built on Zydeco is a Creole-directed documentary that celebrates the artists, legacy, and cultural impact of Zydeco music — one of Louisiana’s most powerful and enduring exports.
Filmed in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish — the capital of Zydeco — the documentary explores how this regional sound continues to define Louisiana’s identity while sustaining a multigenerational community of artists, dancers, and fans. This powerful documentary follows three iconic figures in Creole music — Keith Frank, Terrance Simien, and Reginald “Buckwheat Jr.” Dural — alongside a rich ensemble of fellow musicians. Through immersive vérité footage, dynamic live performances, and deeply personal interviews, the film tells a compelling story of rhythm, resilience, and the enduring spirit of Creole culture.
View Trailer at louisiana-arts.org
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR / PRODUCER
Milton Arceneaux, Dustin Cravins, and producer Robert Chevalier form the core creative team behind
Built on Zydeco, a Louisiana-based documentary project rooted in culture, place, and lived experience.
Together, they bring complementary perspectives shaped by long-standing relationships with the
communities and traditions documented in the film.
Arceneaux is a global award-winning photographer and filmmaker whose work focuses on Creole
culture, language, and identity in southwest Louisiana. His practice emphasizes cultural preservation, oral
history, and responsible storytelling rooted in trust, access, and lived experience. He is the director of
Built on Zydeco and organizer of the annual Creole Culture Day and the REFRAMING Cinema Film
Festival.
Cravins is a cultural advocate, Zydeco scholar, and member of a prominent Creole family with deep ties
to Louisiana’s Zydeco and French-speaking communities. As a culture bearer, he brings historical context,
musical knowledge, and linguistic framing to the film, ensuring the Creole French worldview is
authentically represented. His role strengthens the film’s mission to reclaim the story of Zydeco through
the voices of Creoles of Color.
Chevalier is a legal professional, community leader, and arts advocate whose work has long intersected
with artists, cultural institutions, and nonprofit organizations. As producer, he provides strategic oversight
for production management, fundraising, and legal clearances, ensuring the film is responsibly produced
and positioned for long-term sustainability and impact.
Meet the filmmaker for a Q&A after the screening.
Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts, a regional arts organization, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information about Southern Circuit please visit www.southarts.org/southerncircuit.
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Where is it happening?
Hearn Stage at the Kress Theatre, 301 Johnston St, Alexandria, LA 71301-8316, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherArts Council of Central Louisiana
