In 'The Old Man at the Bar,' the waitstaff remains available.

      Alexander Jeffery drew inspiration for his short film “The Old Man at the Bar” from his grandfather, who roamed the globe, often solo, well into his 80s. Reflecting on his grandfather's experiences helped Jeffery craft his delightful film centered on the staff of a French bistro who decide to remain open for a tourist, resulting in a win-win for everyone involved.

      An exceptionally active filmmaker, Jeffery is also one of the most generous collaborators we've encountered during our journeys with MovieMaker. Originally from Calgary and now residing in Shreveport, Louisiana, his achievements range from winning the Louisiana Film Prize to creating the independent TV pilot Fixation and filming the wildly entertaining stalker musical Peeping Todd.

      Additionally, he co-owns the production company Bespoke Works and co-directs Arkansas’ El Dorado Film Festival alongside Tamra Corley-Davis. Through this festival, he frequently forms partnerships with other filmmakers, including Abby Tozer, who stars in “The Old Man at the Bar” alongside Noah Silver and Stan Brown.

      The short loosely takes inspiration from Hemingway's “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” as well as Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy. Similar to Linklater’s approach in last year’s Nouvelle Vague, Jeffery directed “The Old Man at the Bar” mostly in French, a language he speaks very little.

      The film will screen this Friday at the Waco Independent Film Festival as part of the Crowd Pleasers block. We spoke with Jeffery about his distinctly Louisiana narrative, the development of a film community, and what his experience running a festival has taught him about Waco Indie.

      Alexander Jeffery on ‘The Old Man at the Bar’

      Stan Brown, left, and Alexander Jeffery on the set of “The Old Man at the Bar”

      A prolific filmmaker, MovieMaker: You shot this in the one American city that resembles Paris — New Orleans. How did you make it work?

      Alexander Jeffery: My fantastic producing partner on this project, Brittany Fallow, lives in New Orleans and has an incredible network of collaborators down there. We were very fortunate because Le Moyne Bistro opened in the last few years, and its interior provided the perfect setting for our filming.

      I visited the restaurant, adjusted the script to match the layout and outdoor scenes, and they kindly allowed us to use their space for two overnight shoots.

      MovieMaker: The chemistry among the cast is remarkable. How did you bring everyone together?

      Alexander Jeffery: Stan Brown, who portrays the “old man" in the film, was wrapping up his Broadway debut in Water for Elephants when I initially sent him the script. Stan has been an incredibly generous mentor to me for many years; he played a significant role in my college acting experience, and we collaborated on another short film in 2015 called “The Bespoke Tailoring of Mister Bellamy,” which secured the $50,000 Louisiana Film Prize.

      I was hesitant to send him this script, thinking, “Just so you know, I definitely don’t see you as an old man,” but he read it and quickly became the film's biggest champion, even stepping in as a producer.

      Abby Tozer and Noah Silver in “The Old Man at the Bar.”

      The next person I approached with the script was Abby Tozer, with whom I had recently formed a friendship through the El Dorado Film Festival and who I knew was fluent in French. Spoiler alert: my entire script was originally written in English, and my French is quite limited. Abby became a vital supporter in making the film happen. She helped me translate the script into French, discovered Noah to play our other French waiter, and even organized a rehearsal at her home in Los Angeles while I was there for work.

      Regarding the cast chemistry, I can't take credit… Abby and Noah are both exceptional actors who brought the writing and flirtation to life. We worked with a fantastic intimacy coordinator in New Orleans who ensured the actors felt safe and fostered a supportive environment for the performances.

      MovieMaker: Can you share the unique challenges of directing scenes in French?

      Alexander Jeffery: Absolutely! As I said earlier, “I don’t speak French real good” (said with my best Southern accent despite being Canadian). Directing the actors in the French scenes became an intriguing exercise in emphasizing physicality over dialogue, focusing on visual storytelling and body language instead. It was a refreshing approach to the work.

      MovieMaker: You're known for collaborating with other veterans from the Film Prize and El Dorado, and it seems like a great model for filmmakers outside Hollywood. Am I romanticizing it to envision you and many other filmmakers from Shreveport to El Dorado continuously supporting each other’s projects? What advice would you give to someone aiming to create a similar collective?

      Stan Brown in “The Old Man at the Bar”

      Alexander Jeffery: The Shreveport film community is truly wonderful, and the Film Prize has played a crucial role