UL Center Awards Glen Pitre Annual Rivers Prize
Glen Pitre to Receive the James William Rivers Prize in Louisiana Studies
LAFAYETTE, LA – The Center for Louisiana Studies at the University of Louisiana is thrilled to announce that filmmaker, author, and cultural historian Glen Pitre has been named the recipient of this year's James William Rivers Prize in Louisiana Studies. This esteemed award, given annually, recognizes outstanding contributions to the study and preservation of Louisiana’s rich history and culture.
Pitre, a Cut Off, Louisiana native, has spent the past five decades documenting, interpreting, and celebrating the complex cultural landscapes of his home state. In 1975, while still a student at Harvard, he founded Côte Blanche Productions, the launching pad for an extraordinary career that has included critically acclaimed films, radio programs, documentary productions, museum exhibits, oral histories, and literary works. His groundbreaking Louisiana Trilogy—Belizaire the Cajun, The Smuggler’s Wife, and The Man Who Came Back—brought Louisiana’s unique stories to a worldwide audience.
Beyond cinema, Pitre has made significant contributions to Louisiana scholarship through his work in museum curation, historical documentation, and cultural advocacy. His projects range from preserving indigenous and Creole histories to restoring historic architecture. Now in his tenth year as Screen Arts Professional in Residence at LSU, Pitre continues to mentor a new generation of storytellers.
The Rivers Prize will be awarded at a ceremony in the spring in Lafayette.
To learn more about Glen and his work click here.
To learn more about the James William Rivers Prize, click here.
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