Crescent City Discs - New Orleans - All on a Mardi Gras Day by Royce Osborn

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	View a Clip All on a Mardi Gras Day was made by Royce Osborn, in association with local PBS station WYES. The film was honored in 2003 at the New Orleans Film Festival the same year. It was funded by the Louisiana Endowment for Humanities, and has been shown in schools and universities around the country. In New Orleans, it has become a Mardi Gras tradition of its own, with screenings every year at carnival time.
All on a Mardi Gras Day is a one hour documentary on New Orleans' black carnival traditions, including the Black Indians, Baby Dolls, Zulus and Skeletons. The special DVD edition includes a full hour of additional material, including an extended interview with the late Big Chief Tootie Montana, scenes of post-Katrina carnival, and an interview with the filmmaker, New Orleans native Royce Osborn. These traditions come out of New Orleans' Afro-Creole culture, from its unique blend of African, European, Caribbean and Native American influences. Black Carnival emerged from a culture of slavery and segregation to become one of the most colorful and exuberant celebrations in the world. This program, originally broadcast nationally on PBS, includes amazing photos and archival footage, and interviews with historians, as well as the men and women who keep these traditions alive. They share their stories and songs, their costumes and dances, with a soundtrack of carnival classics by Professor Longhair, Earl King, the Meters, The Wild Magnolias and more.
		Royce Osborn is a New Orleans-born writer and producer. In 2003, he created the popular documentary "All on a Mardi Gras Day", which explores New Orleans' black carnival traditions in an historical context. The program was broadcast nationally on PBS stations, and was awarded at the New Orleans Film Festival. It has been called one of the best documentaries ever made on New Orleans history, and has been used as a teaching tool in both elementary schools and universities. Osborn grew up in the rich environment of the city's Seventh Ward, and later attended the American Film Institute. After several years working in network television (including the NAACP Image Awards program), he returned to his hometown in 1997, with the purpose of "telling New Orleans stories" in both documentary and feature films. He is currently at work on the documentary "Walking to New Orleans", about the city's cultural recovery, post-Katrina.