Mark Boyancé was hustling Thursday night.

The Iberia Film Festival organizer was everywhere, from behind the stage of the Sliman Theater to the soundboard, then back into the crowd and up on stage again.

“It’s going great,” he said between tasks, checking the remote to make sure the evening’s entertainment, a screening of the documentary “PAVY,” was cued up and ready to go. “We sold a lot more than expected. We sold about 180 tickets, and we are still getting more chairs put in. I expect we will have at least 200 people.”

Boyancé has every right to be upbeat. The festival, now in its second year, is growing legs. The inaugural event in 2018 had about 300 attendees over two days, with this year’s crowd looking to be stronger.

“We’ve sold a lot of tickets,” Boyancé said.

The opening night film, “PAVY,” is a documentary about New Iberia physician Dr. Donald Pavy and his search for the truth in the shooting of Huey P. Long. Director Carrie Simon said she was excited to have her film accepted to the festival, especially in such a prominent way.

“I love this festival,” Simon said prior to the screening. “This festival has some of the best talent in the state, some of the best talent in the country.”

Although this is her first film effort, she has already established her own film company, Ardent Flame Media Group, and has several projects in the works.

“I’d like to see this film make it to the festival circuit,” Simon said. “I have another short film coming up, and I am in the works for a feature film.”

Unfortunately, Pavy himself did not live to see the finished product premiere. He died on July 15 at the age of 88. His widow, Bobbie, said she was happy to see the film so warmly received.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “I had seen it before on an iPad. This will be the first time seeing it on a big screen. Carrie did an amazing job.”

If You Go

• The Iberia Film Festival kicked off Thursday night with the film “PAVY,” directed by local filmmaker and author Carrie Simon. The festival continues with a screening of “Gumbo,” a documentary about the origins of that wonderful elixir of all things south Louisiana. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available at iberiafilmfestival.com for $10. Door tickets will be $15.

• Saturday will bring screenings of entries for this year’s festival at the Sliman Theater on E. Main Street and the Essanee Theater on Iberia Street. Tickets are $5 for one block of films (available at the door only) or $10 for an all-day pass, available online at iberiafilmfestival.com or at the door.

The festival will continue tonight with “Gumbo,” a documentary from Houston filmmaker Alyssa Rachelle. The film features several chefs from the New Iberia’s World Championship Gumbo Cookoff discussing the origin and art behind their creations.

Saturday three blocks of films will be featured in the main body of the festival on screens at the Sliman Theater and the Essanee Theater on Iberia Street.

Tickets for all of the festival’s events can be purchased on the festival’s website at iberiafilmfestival.com or at the door.