The 1st NATIVE CINEMA SHOWCASE
August 15 — 19, 2001, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Audience at Plan B Cinematheque during discussion after "A House Made of Dawn" - Photograph by Amalia Cordova, NMAI The National Museum of the American Indian joined forces with the Institute of American Indian Arts, Taos Talking Pictures and Plan B (Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe) in the first ever Native Cinema Showcase in Santa Fe during the renowned annual Indian Market.

Presented by the National Museum of the American Indian, the Film and Video Center and Taos Talking Pictures worked together in bringing a highlighted retrospective of Native American films and videos to the art-house screening venue in Santa Fe called Plan B. The Institute of American Indian Arts developed the showcase’s marketing and publicity needs with great results. Audience turn-out was spectacular, not only in the numbers (most programs were filled to capacity and then some at a seating room of 150), but also in spirit. The room was together in laughter, tears and sheer inspirational moments of sincere gratitude for the programs and perhaps most of all for the speakers who were there to present their films. In terms of numbers, the most outstanding events of the week were N. Scott Momaday’s House Made of Dawn (Friday) and Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man (Saturday). The events were sold out on both mornings prior to their screenings.

Beverly Singer, Larry Littlebird, N. Scott Momaday - Photograph by Amalia Cordova, NMAI There to present were Rick West, who introduced the film adaptation of House Made of Dawn; Beverly Singer who presented the follow-up Q&A with N. Scott Momaday and Larry Littlebird; Elizabeth Weatherford, who introduced the first program of the showcase Indian Humor (Short films which included: Hawaiian Sting, Harold of Orange, the satirical NTV series produced by NMAI in 1994, and I’ve Been Bingo’ed By My Baby); Randy Redroad was present to answer his inquisitive and applauding audience for The Doe Boy and Haircuts Hurt; Elizabeth Weatherford introduced Shirley Cheechoo’s reedited version of the provocative Backroads, now called Bearwalker; Michael Horse presented Chris Eyre who screened clips from his film-in-progress Skins; Victor Masayesva, Jr. captivated the audience with his passionate talk, slideshow and the screenings of Imagining Indians and new short video The Color of Wilderness; Jason Silverman of Taos Talking Pictures and Jerry Barron of Plan B presented Jim Jarmusch who was there to screen and discuss his modern film classic Dead Man; Charlene Peters of IAIA closed the Native Cinema Showcase with Alcatraz is not an Island; There to present the documentary was John Trudell and the filmmaker, Jim Fortier.

Among other NMAI folks at the Native Cinema Showcase were Catherine Morrison (OPA), Michelle Svenson (FVC), Amalia Cordova (FVC) and William Luther (FVC).

Much thanks to all of NMAI who helped out on this spectacular event and to all the staff at the Institute of American Indian Arts, Taos Talking Pictures, and Plan B (Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe). At least four articles were written in both the Albuquerque Journal and the Santa Fe New Mexican. At the table Left to Right: Charlene Teters, Bird Runningwater, Heather Rae, Chris Eyre, Irene Bedard, Ben DuPris at the "Native America Calling" panel at the Institute of American , "2001 Native Cinema Showcase" - Photograph by Amalia Cordova, NMAI
On Thursday, Harlan McKosato for Native America Calling led a live-broadcast of a Native Cinema panel discussion at IAIA with Heather Rae (Winter Films), N. Bird Runningwater (Sundance Institute), Chris Eyre, Charlene Teters, Irene Bedard, and Ben DuPris. Irene Bedard at the "Native America Calling" panel at the Institute of American Indian Arts, "2001 Native Cinema Showcase" - Photograph by Amalia Cordova, NMAI Indigenous rocked the Lensic concert hall on Friday night. Following the concert, a film VIP Party lit up the runway for a fashion showcasing of hip digs worn in Chris Eyre’s upcoming film, Skins, at the Paramount ballroom. On Saturday, Nancy and Haynes Gaffner (TTP Board Member) hosted a beautiful patio buffet party in honor of the cinema presenters. In addition to printed publicity, there was also a local Santa Fe radio station interview with Elizabeth Weatherford and Michelle Svenson . Santa Fe magazine interviewed both Jim Jarmusch and Gary Farmer for a 6-page spread in their upcoming issue (August 2002). A special thanks to Helen Sheirbeck, Thomas Sweeney, Lloyd Kiva New (IAIA), Della Warrior (IAIA), Joanna Bigfeather (IAIA), Eric Radack (IAIA), Marla Redcorn (IAIA), Joanna Hurley (IAIA), Morten Nilssen (TTP), Kelly Clement (TTP), Dancer Dearing (TTP), Spencer Floyd (TTP), Scott Lundius (TTP), Guy Ambrosino (PB), Kirsten Gerdes (PB) and Shirley Cheechoo. Without everyone’s concerted efforts in the Native Cinema Showcase in Santa Fe, we couldn’t have produced a sweeter and more harmonizing event without your support. Thank you.