Venice, Italy, August 31, 2024
“Blue: The Life and Art of George Rodrigue,” directed by Sean O’Malley and produced by the New Orleans-based TV station WLAE, had its first international screening for an exclusive mix of filmmakers, producers, distributors, and a select group of top journalists from around the world, including the USA, UK, France, Germany, Ukraine, Japan, and Italy.
The event took place at Palazzo Michiel on the Grand Canal with the support of the European Cultural Center, which during the Art Biennale also displays the artist’s works at their other location, Palazzo Bembo.
The Venice Mostra—the world’s oldest film festival—runs concurrently with the Art Biennale, one of the largest and most prestigious international collective exhibitions.
Pictured, Sean O’Malley (Director), Jim Dotson (WLAE Vice President and General Manager), Jacques Rodrigue (son of George Rodrigue), Ron Yager (WLAE President), Bruce Smith (WLAE Director of Legacy Projects)
“We discovered an extensive amount of archive film footage and many long-lost photographs in the process of cataloging my father’s materials for this first-ever feature-length documentary of his life and art,” explained Jacques Rodrigue to the audience. “In fact, we are also finding undocumented paintings now, more than ten years after he passed. Currently, we have a digital record of at least 3,600 paintings in our catalogue raisonné database, and we are always looking to find more.”
Ten of these works, plus a famous three-sided sculpture of the Blue Dog, can be viewed by visitors just steps away at the Art Biennale until November. Both the film and the exhibit garnered a lot of interest from audience members, with talk about possible showings in Rome as well as at George’s art school, the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles.
Sean O’Malley, Director of “Blue: The Life and Art of George Rodrigue”
“I was drawn to this project because I grew up in New Orleans with deep Cajun roots,” said Director Sean O’Malley. “George Rodrigue’s life and work as a Cajun artist are inspirational to anyone who has ever felt their dreams are impossible to achieve because of where they’re from.” He continued, “George persevered through multiple challenges in his lifetime on his journey from the small town of New Iberia, LA, to recognition as one of the most important Pop Artists of our time. I’m proud to have the opportunity to tell his moving and uplifting story.”
Over Venetian bites and Aperol Spritzes between two showings of the documentary, the guests marveled at the film and its subject: “I am a huge fan of the Blue Dog, but I had no idea of the depth of Rodrigue’s earlier body of work,” said Adam Tanswell, a journalist who covers film for British publications. “The Cajun culture and its influence on the artist are largely unknown in most parts of the world, and it is fascinating to learn so much about it through this impressive film,” added Luciana Capretti, who writes for La Voce di New York, a US-based publication.
Director Andrea Pallaoro, celebrated for his feature “Monica” starring Patricia Clarkson, mingled with award-winning producer Nobert Blecha (“Requiem for Dominic,” “The Venice Project”) and film commissioner Anna Maria Tosto.
Raucous applause filled the ancient room after each screening as Jacques Rodrigue spoke movingly about his father: “My dad, who was born near the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana, would have gotten such a kick out of his works being shown and his life story being told here in Venice, directly on the Grand Canal.”
“Blue: The Life and Art of George Rodrigue” will have its domestic premiere at the New Orleans Film Festival in October and will air across public television stations in Louisiana and the United States on dates to be announced.
