NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – The film industry is booming right here at Hollywood South and this week is your chance to see some great films and meet nearly 500 actors and filmmakers.

“We’re seeing the New Orleans Film Festival explode, as the film industry is exploding here,”  Jolene Pinder, Executive Director of New Orleans Film Society.

WGNO’s Kenny Lopez sat down and talked with actor, Jay Huguley from “12 Years a Slave”.

“As an actor, you want to be part of that something that stands the test of time and for me that was “12 Years a Slave.”

Huguley has also appeared on the HBO shows, “Treme”, “True Detective”.

ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters”, and this year’s NOFF film, “Notes on Forgiveness“, directed by Elizabeth Burris.

“Actors want to play good parts.  I thought this was really an interesting story,” he said.

“Notes on Forgiveness” is a seductive story about a college professor’s relationship with a conniving student.

“You think he’s tricking her, but then it turns out that she could be tricking him,”  he said.

Any chance Huguley gets to work in New Orleans, he takes it.

“My father lives here, so I’ve got to work here a lot for the last 4 years, so I get to work all day, then I get to have dinner with him,”  Huguley said.

One thing that makes the fest so special for actors and filmmakers who don’t live here, is they get the chance to experience the southern charm—first hand…  Charm like you’ll get from cinema patriarch, the owner of Prytania Theatere, Rene Brunet.

“I was here last year, this year, and I will definitely be back next year,”  Huguley said.

The New Orleans Film Festival lasts through Thursday, October 23rd.

For tickets and showtimes, click HERE