Dew Drop Inn - Resistance and Resilience
One of the many local interest films at the upcoming New Orleans Film Festival (Oct. 22-27) is the documentary Dew Drop Inn - Resistance and Resilience.
Director Michael Murphy's film tells the story of Frank Painia, the Black entrepreneur who opened the music venue the Dew Drop Inn and challenged segregation laws. Painia's legal battles helped lead to the desegregation of New Orleans bars and restaurants.
The Dew Drop Inn played a pivotal role in the development of rhythm and blues, which in turn played a critical role in the development of rock and roll. It helped nurture the careers of legends such as Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, and many more. In 2024, it reopened thanks to the efforts of developer Curtis Doucette Jr.
"At a time when segregation defined New Orleans, Black entrepreneurship created spaces where music flourished, barriers were challenged, and community became a form of resistance—placing the Dew Drop Inn at the powerful intersection of the rise of rhythm and blues, civil rights, and the fight for integration," said the film's producer Cilista Eberle.
Initial
funding for the film was provided by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund.
The movie's screening at the New Orleans Film Festival will be its world
premiere. For more information about the New Orleans Film Festival, visit neworleansfilmsociety.org.
