What will become of the Cajuns? 

Singer songwriter Zachary Richard explores this question in a new documentary about the Cajun identity. The film will be shown Thursday, Oct. 12, at 6:30 p.m. in Central School Arts & Humanities Center, 809 Kirby Street.

In “Zachary Richard: Cajun Heart,” Richard journeys to the home of his French-speaking ancestors in the region of Canada formerly known as Acadia.

He traces his story up to the present, taking a critical look at the Cajun mystique before probing into his people’s uncertain future. 

Matt Mick, communications director at the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, called the film “an accurate portrayal of a group sometimes misunderstood even in their own backyard.”

“For us at CODOFIL, we think that the documentary does a good job of demystifying some of the ‘Cajun mystique’ and digging in a little more deeply into this idea of Cajun cultural identity,” Mick said. 

He said he particularly enjoyed hearing the familiar story of the Cajun people’s expulsion from Richard’s unique perspective. 

“It fleshes out that story in a way that makes it, I think, a little more personal and a little more tangible than maybe it was for a lot of people previously,” Mick said. 

The film, directed Canadian filmmaker Phil Comeau, made its world premiere in November 2016 at the historic Capitol Theatre in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The film won the Festival International du Cinema Francophone en Acadie’s “Best Documentary” and “Audience” awards.

“It was thrilling to see this documentary receive such acclaim in Canada and also internationally, which makes me all the more eager for my fellow Louisianans to have a chance to watch this film,” Richard said in a news release.

Tickets cost $5 for students and $25 for adults. They’re available online at www.cajunheart.eventbrite.com and at the door. Tickets can also be purchased in advance at Gordon’s Drugs and Fine Gifts, 2716 Lake Street, and Accessory Zone, 2910 Ryan Street.

All proceeds go to CODOFIL and its scholarship program. The event is sponsored by La Fondation Louisiane and the Calcasieu Parish Public Library.

For more information, visit www.zacharyrichard.com.

Special to the American Press