The Place

West of Greatness was filmed on the Westbank of New Orleans, in neighborhoods just across the river that rarely appear on screen.

This isn’t the French Quarter or the Garden District—it’s strip malls, local gyms, front porches, and working-class streets that feel lived-in and real.

Writer and director Jared Cliff LaReau grew up in a working-class family in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. That background shaped his focus on underrepresented places and people. He wanted to tell a story that felt honest to communities like the one he came from.

The Westbank becomes more than just a location. It’s woven into the fabric of the film. The people who live there are tough, funny, and full of pride. For the cast and crew, it felt like home. For the story, it became essential. This is a film that honors its setting by truly living in it.