LAFAYETTE, La. — Lafayette is taking center stage as filmmakers, performers and audiences from across the country gather for this year’s Southern Screen Festival, an event designed to entertain, educate and inspire.
Among those drawn to Acadiana’s thriving arts community is Tabatha Zimiga, who stars in the film “East of Wall.” For Zimiga, the festival marks her first-ever acting experience — and her first visit to Louisiana.
“I've always wanted to see Louisiana, and it is so gorgeous here,” Zimiga said. “I'm so, so thankful for this opportunity to come here.”
A South Dakota rancher and horse trainer by trade, Zimiga’s path to acting came as unexpectedly as her lead role. “I'm just a foul-mouthed horse trainer from South Dakota. I'm not an actress. I've never acted in my life,” she said.
“East of Wall,” inspired by Zimiga’s life working with rescued horses, features some of her own animals on screen. The filmmaker, Kate Beecroft, lived with Zimiga to capture her lifestyle before encouraging her to take the lead in front of the camera.
“It's really fun to discover something you had no idea that you might be good at,” Zimiga said.
The festival, which features panels and live performances, is bringing together artists from both the Bayou region and beyond. It's an opportunity not only for networking, but also for fostering unique stories within Acadiana’s arts scene.
“If you're looking for something that's heart wrenching and beautiful all at the same time, I think you'll like it,” Zimiga said of the film.
For Zimiga, the message she hopes to impart is simple: “How to know your own power, your own self-worth, that you can usually get through anything if you try hard enough, and I hope they all find their own grit.”
As more creators arrive in Lafayette to share their stories, events like the Southern Screen Festival continue to showcase the region’s vibrant culture and creative potential.
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