Blue: The Life and Art of George Rodrigue

The feature documentary Blue: The Life and Art of George Rodrigue paints a portrait of the world-renowned Cajun artist. George Rodrigue told the story of his exiled ancestors through brushstrokes, overcoming insurmountable adversity on a journey to become an international pop art sensation with his instantly recognizable, golden-eyed Blue Dog. "Blue" features interviews with George Rodrigue's family, friends, curators, critics, collectors, and notable New Orleans' figures, including Chef Emeril Lagasse, Drew Brees, James Carville, and former Mayor Marc Morial. Heavily influenced by the art of Andy Warhol, Rodrigue attended the ArtCenter College of Design in Los Angeles in the 1960s before returning home to paint Louisiana. After two decades of celebrating Cajun culture on canvas, Rodrigue achieved commercial success by turning a Cajun folklore character, known as the "loup-garou", into the iconic Blue Dog. From teaching himself to paint while bedridden with polio, to being overlooked by art critics and museums for decades, to his valiant battles with Hurricane Katrina and cancer, George Rodrigue stayed true to his vision and in the process made us all happy to feel Blue.