Facebook Twitter Email
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2001

The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) kicked off its Native film festival to a packed and delighted crowd in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday night, ushering in a series of events designed to highlight the best in Native film-making.

Coordinated by Elizabeth Weatherford, head of the Film and Video Center at NMAI, the Native Cinema Showcase 2001 includes a variety of comedy, drama and documentary features. Last night, humor was the name of the game as the program drew from a mix of classic yet still fresh material by some of the Indian Country's most inventive artists.

The highlight was a short video piece called "NTV". The brainchild of Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie, it dares to ask the question: What would an all-Native television be like?

The answer was found in skits on Rez aerobics, a tribal politics soap opera ("As The Tribe Trembles") and Indian infomercials. Although seven years old, the piece still found a way to inspire new laughter.

But the festival is more than just viewing, its also interactive. Through discussions with filmmakers and a fashion show, attendees can experience Native works in a personal way.

Today, filmmakers will be talking about Natives in the industry on two separate panels. With guests Chris Eyre and Shirley Cheechoo, Native America Calling will be broadcasting live from Santa Fe on the state of Native American film.

The show will be followed by another panel of directors, writers and producers who will discuss Native representation on the silver screen. Both events take place at the museum of the Institute of American Indian Arts, who is also helping present the festival.

Most attendees, however, will probably be anticipating the screenings of two debut films this evening. The first, the darling of the Indian indie circuit, is "The Doe Boy."

Directed by Randy Redroad, the film focuses on a half-Cherokee hemophiliac young man and the contradiction he encounters in a culture obsessed with the concept of blood. "You'll love it," proclaimed one of the festival's planners.

The second is a new cut of the drama "Bearwalker," directed by Cheechoo. It focuses on the life of a woman whose life spins out of control when she is sent to jail for killing her abusive husband and framed for murder of a local white man.

The festival continues on Friday, which include a screening of "House Made of Dawn" (directed by Richardson Morse in 1972), along with a book signing by the star of the film, Larry Littlebird. Later that night, a party will be held for "Skins," a new film by Eyre.

Actress Irene Bedard will host the event, offering a preview of the Skins clothing line. Inspired by the film, the line is the work of Colville designer Ben-Alex DuPris.

On Saturday, Eyre will be showing scenes from the movie itself. Based on the novel by Adrian Louis, it focuses on the relationship between two brothers who chose very different paths in life. Graham Greene has a starring role.

The festival closes on Sunday with a documentary about the takeover of Alcatraz Island by American Indian activists. "Alcatraz is not an Island," directed by James Fortier, goes back and looks at this seminal event in the Indian rights movement.

Information about times and location of the festival's events is available online at http://www.ttpix.org/native_frame.html

Next month, the Film and Video Center of NMAI will launch new web site devoted to showcasing Native media in all its forms. It will be located at http://www.nativenetworks.si.edu.

Native America Calling airs at 1pm Eastern Standard Time.

Relevant Links:
National Museum of the American Indian - http://www.si.edu/nmai
Native America Calling - http://www.nativecalling.org
Institute of American Indian Arts - http://www.iaiancad.org

Related Stories:
Sherman Alexie hard at work on 'sovereign' movie (5/11)
Native filmmakers shoot for the stars (12/06)