BATON ROUGE — Nearly 50 independent films will be screened next month at the inaugural Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival.

The festival, running from Aug. 21-24 at the Manship Theatre, will present 10 feature-length films and 39 short films from both Louisiana and abroad.

"The Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival showcases the best of Louisiana’s independent film scene. We’re here to celebrate what makes local storytelling special and to get these artists in the right room with the right people,” BRUFF Creative Director Brendan Pyron said. “If you care about the future of film in our state, come to BRUFF."

The festival will also host seven panels on topics like financial knowledge and the fundamentals of filmmaking. Among the panels will be one of the first discussions of new film tax incentives in partnership with Film Louisiana.

Filmmakers and attendees can also get hands-on, industry-level training with groups like Panavision, NOVAC and Ziggy Creates

“The Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival will be a central pivot point for crew training and knowledge of the film industry,” BRUFF Financial Director Joe Carleton said. “Not only will you be able to experience high-quality art, but there will be direct opportunities to be hands-on and develop your skills each day of the festival.”

The full festival schedule and information on tickets can be found here.