At just 19 years old, New Orleans native Phillip Youmans became the youngest (and first African-American) director to take home honors for “Best Narrative Film” at the Tribeca Film Festival.

His movie, Burning Cane, is set among the cane fields of rural Louisiana and is about a religious woman’s struggles between her faith and her troubled family. Youmans’ film also won awards for Best Cinematography and Best Actor, for Wendell Pierce’s role.

Those who’ve been following Youmans’ journey may recall that Burning Cane received the New Orleans Film Society-funded “Youth Grant” through #CreateLouisiana last year.

Other Lousianans in film who found success at the New York City festival include Kenneth Reynolds, who premiered his film Lost Bayou, directed by Brian C. Miller Richard, at the Tribeca Film Festival. Reynolds is one of New Orleans Film Society’s 2018 Southern Producers Lab fellows.

One of New Orleans Film Society’s Emerging Voices 2017 mentee, Jasmin Mara López, received the DOCSMX Award with her feature-length documentary project Silent Beauty at the TFI Network at Tribeca Film Festival.

Congratulations to all the New Orleans talent this year!