In 1945, renowned documentary filmmaker Robert Flaherty was commissioned by the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey to make a film as part of a public relations project.Flaherty directed filming of Louisiana Story on location at Avery Island and Weeks Island, Louisiana in 1946 and 1947. While filming, Flaherty, his wife Frances, and his crew lived in a rented home at 307 N. Main Street in Abbeville.Employing local Cajun people as actors, the film depicted the impact upon the life of a Cajun trapper family living on a bayou when an oil rig begins drilling near their cabin.Louisiana Story had its southern premiere at the Frank's Theater in Abbeville on Sunday, February 20th, 1949.Shown worldwide, Louisiana Story received many honors, including nominations for an Academy Award for Best Writing/Motion Picture Story. Additionally, composer Virgil Thompson received a Pulitzer Prize for the Musical score. In 1994 the Library of Congress declared the film to be culturally significant and placed it on the National Film Registry.Louisiana Story was Robert Flaherty's last directed film. He died in 1951. Recognized as a film classic, it also serves as an enduring and poetic portrayal of Louisiana's natural environment and Cajun people. - by Elemore Morgan, Jr.
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