If
Pat Mire continues Cajun mission
Independent film director’s latest is murder mystery
Bobby Boucher still gets a laugh. The awkward dimwit with the exaggerated Cajun accent remains an icon from the 1998 movie, “The Waterboy.”
Sure, actor Adam Sandler was just playing a character in a comedy But Boucher feeds into old stereotypes about Louisiana. People love us as much as they don’t understand us.
I’ve had to explain that New Orleans is not Cajun country Drive two hours west on Interstate 10 for that.
Yes, Louisiana has roads and bridges and is not overrun with swamps and alligators. I still remember the look of disbelief from the person I told that Lafayette has an airport.
I’ll have to start suggesting that the uninitiated watch “Pointe Noire,” the latest from independent film director Pat Mire. The murder mystery is now available for rent or purchase in the United States and Canada on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, DISH and Vimeo VOD.
A French-speaking native of Eunice and Lafayette resident, Mire has spent 30 years telling compelling stories in settings filled with Cajun traditions and culture. His Cinema on the Bayou event stands as the state’s secondoldest, annual international juried film festival.
“Pointe Noire,” filmed throughout St. Landry Parish and the surrounding area in southwest Louisiana, is the story of Louis Leger, a filmmaker and crawfish farmer played by Roy Dupuis. He and attorney Dolores Arceneaux (Myriam Cyr) try to save Joel Richard (Michael Bienvenu), a wrongly convicted inmate on Death Row Leger and Arceneaux uncover secrets related to rice farmer Nathan Smith, portrayed by Scott native and French music icon Zachary Richard. But the revelations may be too late to prevent the surprise ending. True to his career mission, Mire carves another story that reflects his native Cajun culture. Elements of the traditional Courir de Mardi Gras, rice fields, traiteur (faith healer), hand-fishing, LA31 Beer (brewed in Arnaudville) and the Whirlybird dance hall in Opelousas fuel the narrative.
The film offers an introduction to Tay-Sachs disease, a fatal nerve disorder that affects Acadian descendants and the Jewish population Characters with familiar surnames of Mouton, Richard, Touchet and Arceneaux float in and out of English and Cajun
HEALING ARTS
BR singer returns home with
open
heart and ready to share a safe
space
BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer
Baton Rouge native Sariah Sizemore was sitting in a hot spring pool in Cañon de Guadalupe in Baja California, Mexico. A yoga teacher asked her if she wanted to try a different type of breath work a simple three-part breath — and Sizemore said, “Sure, I’ll try it.”
“All I know is that my heart opened,” she said. “I was crying and releasing all this pain that I was holding. It was this beautiful kind of physical, spiritual experience that I had never had before.”
Sizemore had found a safe space.
She spent the next decade figuring out how to share the relief and help she found with others.
After more than 20 years in California, Sizemore returned to her hometown in 2022 to bring her breathwork and meditation to her fellow Louisianans. She founded Ritual Work, a healing and coaching wellness business that offers private sessions and group workshops.
She’s working to bring the kind of healing she experienced and studied on the West Coast to Baton Rouge, without asking anyone to give up the faith they cherish
Since her return to Louisiana, Sizemore has used her training as a certified life coach, counselor and yoga teacher to hold healing and coaching sessions at her house for clients dealing with anxiety, chronic pain, stress and other ailments. She creates a personalized plan for clients so they can practice self-care rituals on their own time.
“Part of their homework is to go out on a walk every day and connect with nature,” Sizemore said, “or they get journaling prompts or letter writing exercises to heal and let go of energy that they might have with other people.”
Laura Kearns, of Prairieville, was struggling with chronic pain when she went to one of Sizemore’s workshops at The Red Shoes. Kearns said the breathing practice that Sizemore taught her has helped.
“In the very first class I took with her, she did this fire belly breathing that gave me so much relief,” Kearns said. “I was able to breathe through some of the pain, and so I started seeing her on a regular
basis.”
This summer, in partnership with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Sizemore is providing a four-part immersive wellness series for artists, entrepreneurs, professionals and anyone feeling stuck.
The Healing Arts series takes place in the Virginia and John Noland Black
Box Studio at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center and is designed to help people reconnect with their creativity, clarity and purpose through expressive arts.
Expressive arts have been a steady part of Sizemore’s life. The daughter of the late Baton Rouge blues singer Lisa Hofmeister, Sizemore brings her strong voice to her Healing Arts workshop series through singing simple choruses during meditation times. She also uses a gong and sound bowls as well.
“In the very first class I took with her, she did this fire belly breathing that gave me so much relief. I was able to breathe through some of the pain, and so I started seeing her on a regular basis.”
Sizemore sings over participants with a clear, lullaby-like tone. Workshop attendees spread out over the floor, seated or sometimes lying on mats to stretch and breathe through meditation exercises.
Herman Fuselier
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
Sariah Sizemore stands next to a massage table she uses during healing sessions in her home.
PHOTO BY KIM ASHFORD
Taylor Matherne, left, and Sariah Sizemore play and sing at their immersive sound and visual experience, Honey Gold Experience, at the Old State Capitol on June 25.
PHOTO BY KIM ASHFORD
LAURA
TRAVEL
Mount Magazine worth exploring in Arkansas
Find stunning views, outdoor activities and wine
BY REBECCA DELATIN Contributing writer
At The Lodge in Arkansas’
Mount Magazine State Park, the in-house Skycrest Restaurant with large south-facing windows, a twostory stone-clad fireplace and timber beams is a charming place to take advantage of the views over the southern bluff of the mountain
Because of the restaurant’s location within a dry county, alcohol purchases at the bar and restaurant can only be made by members of Skycrest’s private club.
Thankfully, becoming a member is free and easy — just sign up at the hostess stand.
The Arkansas River Valley area hosts wineries, wildflowers, valley vistas and hiking opportunities for all. Located two hours west of Little Rock, Mount Magazine State Park, with its grand lodge, cliffside cabins and campgrounds perched around the highest point in Arkansas.
The Lodge at Mount Magazine, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, offers sweeping views of the Petit Jean River Valley and Blue Mountain Lake. It boasts an indoor heated swimming pool, game room, conference center, gym and gift shop to suit all creature comforts
Flanking the lodge are 13 cabins that offer wood-burning fireplaces, full kitchens and covered porches overlooking the valley, each with rocking chairs and a hot tub. There are several campsite offerings that range from simple tent camping to those equipped with full hookups for RVs.
State park interpreters routinely provide guided hikes and educational programs for kids and adults, most of which are free. Those interested can check out upcoming events and programs by visiting the lodge’s front desk
or ArkansasStateParks.com.
Since Magazine Mountain is a flat-topped mesa, the beautiful views are accessible to almost anyone via several hiking trails on the mountaintop.
Signal Hill is a short 1.4-mile hike that starts near the lodge and takes participants to Arkansas’ highest point. The marker reads 2,753 feet in elevation. North Rim Trail is a moderate hike that starts at The Mount Magazine Visitor Center, which is a great place to explore before hitting the trail. There’s a gift shop and educational displays about local flora and fauna.
Winter storms have a tendency to strip leaves and upper branches from the trees, bringing sunshine to the forest floor, creating a burst of wildflowers in the spring. A local floral favorite is Dutchman’s
hikers might glimpse the dazzling Diana Fritillary, a blue-andblack speckled species rarely seen outside
Valley ecoregion. Join conservation efforts to protect Arkansas’ state butterfly by logging photos and sightings on iNaturalist.org. (Learn more at thedianaproject. org).
Overlook Drive a one-way loop with pull-offs and paved paths leading to stunning views of the cliff sides and rolling hills below — can be tackled on foot, bike or by car
Travelers looking for more daring adventures have lots of options, too.
There are sites designated for horseback riding, mountain biking, rock climbing and rappelling. There’s even a site for thrill-seeking hang gliders to launch off into the valley between Cabin 7 and 8. The experience is thrilling to watch, even for those who would prefer to keep their feet firmly planted on solid ground.
It may be tempting to spend all your time at Mount Magazine State Park, but just an hour’s drive away is Altus, Arkansas, where visitors will find St. Mary’s Mountain and picturesque vineyards and wineries established by German and Swiss immigrants nearly 150 years ago.
Weidekehr Wine Cellars continues to be run by the third and fourth generations of the Weidekehr family Enjoy classic alpine dishes like schnitzel and bratwurst by cozy candlelight at The Weinkeller Restaurant, which is housed in a hand-dug wine cellar dating back to the 1880s.
The nearby Post Winery offers a large tasting room with a wide variety of wines to sample and purchase. Their most popular offering, Blue Parachute, is a lightly sweet and slightly effervescent muscadine wine.
Mount Bethel Winery offers tastings of its wines served in a quaint converted wine cellar The hosts are happy to share family and vineyard history while you
With thousands of Shell men and women across thestate,we areworking everyday to reduce emissions, while increasing efficiency in ouroperations
Our tomorrowdepends on what we do today. Together, we arepoweringprogressfor abrighter future. Louisiana is whereweliveand we’reproud to call it home
Breeches, named for the flower’s resemblance to tiny pantaloons. Butterflies are a common sight flitting among the flowers. Lucky
the Arkansas River
PHOTOS BY REBECCA DELATIN
The sun sets at the bluffs along Old Lodge Trail near The Lodge at Mount Magazine in Arkansas.
A local floral favorite is Dutchman’s Breeches, named for the flower’s resemblance to tiny pantaloons.
Sizemore uses the arts to reach people through her immersive sound and visual performance with her partner, Taylor Matherne The two-hour experience, called Honey Gold, includes Sizemore’s singing, Matherne’s instrumentation and a visual production.
Matherne said the collaborative performance evolved from one of Sizemore’s workshops at The Red Shoes last year He and Sizemore partnered with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and held their first performance in the Black Box Theater.
Creating safe spaces
The first workshop of the series occurred June 13, with the theme, “Release the Pressure.” The session focused on letting go of stress, burnout and emotional weight that keeps people stuck.
Kearns attended the June workshop and bought tickets for the next three as well She said Sizemore’s deep breathing, journal prompts, meditation time and optional share time were effective, but her favorite part was a section where everyone stood up and danced around, releasing pent-up energy.
“I’m more or less dipp a toe in these waters,” erne said. “I can tell people are similarly well versed in that sor work, but she makes accommodating and fortable and loving.” Future interactive shop dates are: n July 18, Reclaim Energy n Aug. 1, Unlock Yo ativity n Oct. 10, Vision, Purpose and Momentum.
“It’s going to be all recognizing how we and the thoughts we think and the impulse to not Sizemore said. “Whe energy is zapped, it’s focus on getting things and be creative.”
Each workshop Healing Arts Series c attended as a standalone perience for $40. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com/e/thehealing-arts-series-thevirginia-and-john-nolandblack-box-studio-tickets-1988810572961.
“I like creating safe places where people can come and have an experience of letting go, having their feelings and releasing all the stuff that they’re carrying,” Sizemore said. “We live in a very tense environment, and people need support.”
Email Joy Holden at joy holden@theadvocate.com.
PHOTO BY KIM ASHFORD
Taylor Matherne and Sariah Sizemore lead the Honey Gold Experience at the Old State Capitol on June 25.
PHOTO
Dupuis and Myriam Cyr star in Pat Mire’s Pointe Noire.
Sariah Sizemore leads a workshop at the Berkeley Shambhala Center in Berkeley, Calif.
