Wednesday, August 18 - Sunday, August 22, 2004

THE NATIVE CINEMA SHOWCASE is an international film and video festival held during Indian Market to celebrate the creativity of Native cinema today. This year's showcase features Native stories and peoples from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, the Siberian Arctic, and the United States. Produced by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe, the showcase exhibits preeminent contemporary Native cinema to the northern New Mexico community and national and international visitors who come to Santa Fe for Indian Market.

Report from the Showcase

By Michelle Svenson, Film and Video Specialist

between screenings at the CCA during NCS The 4th Native Cinema Showcase (NCS) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, presented an outstanding body of new media and discussions to local audiences and visitors during Indian Market. Co-produced by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) and the Center for Contemporary Art (CCA), events at the NCS included new partnerships with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) in Albuquerque and the Native Roots and Rhythms (NRR) concert at the Santa Fe Indian School. Generous publicity coverage for the Native Cinema Showcase in the Santa Fe New Mexican, Albuquerque Journal, Pasatiempo, Crosswinds Weekly, Santa Fe Reporter and Native Peoples Magazine, as well as numerous interviews with participating media-makers in other local papers and radio stations.

Launching the showcase on Saturday, August 14th was a special free screening at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) featuring Dale Kruzic, Beverly Morris and Conroy Chino's Looking Toward Home, about the lives of urban Indians in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, hosted by IPCC's Tazbah McCullah and Na'al Kid Festival director Charmaine Jackson-John (Navajo). This first-ever Native American film and video event at the IPCC included two shorts by young emerging filmmakers, Composure by Tazbah Chavez (Bishop Paiute) and Yellow Dust by Shonie De La Rosa (Navajo). It was a packed house that greeted the filmmakers and special guest speaker filmmaker and scholar Beverly Singer (Tewa/Diné).

Emily Hubley Director Rick Shroder and actor Russell Means (Lakota) presented Schroder's inspirational Black Cloud as the Native Cinema Showcase opener, at the CCA in Santa Fe. On Thursday, August 19th, the showcase went into full swing with a collection of short films, featuring works from New Zealand - Dot's Death, Australia - Wind, Hawaii - Kava Kultcha, California - Memory, and from Canada - The Shirt and Music Is the Medicine, presented by actor, director, cultural activist, and musician, Gary Farmer (Cayuga). Farmer also introduced to the stage Derek Miller (Mohawk), musician, co-director of Music Is the Medicine and former-host of the APTN music show Buffalo Tracks. Derek's voice and electric guitar filled the room with soulful music for two phenomenal live songs. Thursday also featured animation shorts by the legendary Faith Hubley, introduced by daughter and award-winning animator, Emily Hubley. Introducing Emily and moderating Q&A was John Bowman, director of the Santa Fe Film Festival. Afterwards, everyone gathered for an evening of music, food, and fun at the annual Native Peoples Magazine party, hosted by the Institute of American Indian Arts in its lovely sculpture garden.

Charmaine Jackson-John (Navajo) hosting at the CCA exhibition reception for artist Steven Deo Friday night, filmmakers and local audiences attended the Native Roots and Rhythms concert where Derek Miller and his band—Ken Hoover on bass and Sean Kilbride on drums—rocked the amphitheatre. Gary Farmer on harmonica made a guest appearance. Other bands were Arigon Starr, Litefoot, Native Roots, and George Leach. Thanks to Seth Rothman and Melissa Sanchez of NRR for sharing this wonderful event with the showcase participants! Also on Friday was an exhibition opening for contemporary artist, Stephen Deo (Creek/Euchee). Perceptions displayed the artist's diverse talents in photography, sculpture and multi-media painting. The show was organized by CCA's Executive Director, Jerry Barron and his staff.

Georgina Lightning (Cree) The weekend offered feature films, with A Bride of the Seventh Heaven, from the Siberian Arctic, introduced by Michelle Svenson; an urban reality story from Canada, On the Corner, starring Alex Rice; and a slapstick comedy that filled the house with laughter, Don't Call Me Tonto, introduced by screenwriter, Annie Frazier-Henry (Blackfoot/Sioux/French). Extra chairs were needed to accommodate the crowd for the free screening of Dreamkeeper that was introduced by associate producer Georgina Lightning (Cree). Chris Eyre (Cheyenne/Arapaho) and Wes Studi (Cherokee) delighted the audience with their charm and humor in the Q&A for their PBS Mystery! episode A Thief of Time.

Gary Farmer, Jessica Ponce, Jenny Hartman, Shaleena Delgado and Tazbah Chavez at the New Generations program Akatubi Film and Music Academy graciously supported the New Generations program by bringing in some of their most talented and dedicated young media-makers to this year's Showcase. New Generations screened works from California's Akatubi students, Oklahoma's American Indian Resource Center, and a piece by Joseph Lazare (Mohawk) from Big Soul Productions in Canada. Introducing were Yvonne Russo (Lakota) and Paulette Moreno (Tlingit) from Akatubi. Jessica Ponce, Jenny Hartman, Shaleena Delgado (Tlingit) and Tazbah Chavez offered a generous Q&A followed by words of encouragement from Gary Farmer.

Corrine Sanchez, Alanis Obomsawin, Suzan Shown Harjo and Rick West This year the showcase offered a special panel presentation on Native sovereignty, with esteemed guests Corrine Sanchez (Tewa) from Tewa Women United, Suzan Shown Harjo (Cheyenne/Hodulgee Muscogee) president of the Morning Star Institute, filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki), W. Richard West (Southern Cheyenne), director of the NMAI, James Brooks of the School of American Research, and Daniel Craig a Santa Fe physician and veteran. Moderated by Institute of American Indian Arts' Director Della Warrior (Otoe-Missouria), the panelists were articulate and informative, often passionate, and almost as often, downright funny.

V. Blackhawk Aamodt in front of the CCA After the panel, serious discussions continued in Q&A for documentaries such as The Ghost Riders by V. Blackhawk Aamodt (Blackfoot/Lakota/Mexican) and in two recent documentaries from Alanis Obomsawin, Is the Crown at War With Us and Our Nationhood. One group of documentaries—Nunavut Summer, Video in the Villages and Native Games—focused on Native youth and family life. Throughout all of this year's screenings, audiences were thoughtful and encouraging. The filmmakers, too, enjoyed learning from our other participants in the showcase-reserving time for the cinema when they could have continued shopping at Indian Market! On the lighter side, Gary Farmer was often spotted riding his bike around the Plaza, and filmmakers and actors loved to hang out at the CCA. In moods serious and fun, everyone gathered in Santa Fe that week to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy Native arts, traditional or contemporary.

Ann Maran, Annie Frazier Henry and Charmaine Jackson-John at the CCA This year's showcase would not have been a success without the hard work of Ann Marran, publicist extraordinaire, and the rest of the great Native Cinema Showcase staff. "Thank you!" to Reaghan Tarbell (Mohawk) for all those early/late hours driving to and from Santa Fe, Charmaine Jackson-John for her wonderful community outreach, Luke Dorman, Margaret Sagan and all the other staff and volunteers of the CCA and NMAI. Thanks also to Jerry Barron, Executive Director of the CCA and Elizabeth Weatherford, Head of the Film and Video Center, Audience start lining up for a screening at CCA for their vision and encouragement of growth, Jason Silverman for his continuous support to Native media, and to all who have helped launch and evolve the event. The Native Cinema Showcase offers not just contemporary perspectives of Native media-makers, but also "shed(s) some light on what seem(s) to be a growing movement of indigenous filmmaking" and "offer(s) insights into the complicated, tragic relationship of the motion pictures to Native culture." (Jason Silverman, "Native Cinema Showcase: Refocusing Indian Images," Native Peoples Magazine, Sept. /Oct. 2004, Vol. XVII, Number 6)

Featured Works

Amazonia
Bigger Things
Black Cloud
A Bride of the Seventh Heaven
Cloudland
Composure
Don't Call Me Tonto
Dot's Death
Dreamkeeper
Estos Dolores Somos
The Ghost Riders
The Great Indian Massacre
How the Redbird Got His Color
I Belong to This
If the Weather Permits
Is the Crown at War with Us?
Kava Kultcha
Kunuk Family Reunion (US premiere)
The Last Laugh
Looking Toward Home
Marangmotxingo Mïrang/From the Ikpeng Children to the World Memory
Might of the Starchaser
Music Is the Medicine
Northern Ice, Golden Sun
On the Corner
Our Nationhood
The Shirt
Spirit of the Game
Starlore
A Thief of Time
Toka
Wai'a Rini: The Power of the Dream
Wind

Schedule at-a-glance


7:30 pm	A SPECIAL SCREENING: The Native Cinema Showcase and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center present Looking Toward Home	IPCC

7 pm	Black Cloud Discussion with director Rick Schroder follows.	Cinematheque

5:20 pm	*MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH: SHORT FICTIONS* TRT: 100 minutes. An explosion of Native film talent is seen in new works by directors from North America and the Pacific Rim that tell stories of resistance, spiritual strength, and transformation. Including: Kava Kultcha, The Shirt, Memory, Dot's Death, Wind, and Music Is the Medicine Introduced by Gary Farmer. Discussion with performer Derek Miller follows.	Video Hall
7 pm	A Bride of the Seventh Heaven	Cinematheque
7:20 pm	FROM THE ARCTIC TO THE AMAZON: A FAITH HUBLEY RETROSPECTIVE TRT: 60 minutes. A focus on the work of Faith Hubley (1925-2002), whose animations were inspired by world cultures and indigenous oral traditions. Hubley's revolutionary, independent visions connect deeply to Mother Earth and her inhabitants. Including: Amazonia, Northern Ice, Golden Sun, Starlore, and Cloudland Discussion follows with Faith Hubley's daughter, award-winning animator Emily Hubley.	Video Hall

4:30 pm	*NATIVE GAMES* TRT: 90 minutes. Including: Toka and Spirit of the Game Discussion with director Annie Frazier Henry follows.	Cinematheque
4:45 pm	*WIPING THE TEARS* TRT: 80 minutes. Including: Estos Dolores Somos and The Ghost Riders Discussion with director V. Blackhawk Aamodt follows.	Video Hall
6:20 pm	NUNAVUT SUMMER TRT: 80 minutes. Including: Kunuk Family Reunion (US premiere) and If the Weather Permits	Video Hall
7 pm	On the Corner	Cinematheque
8 pm	*VIDEO IN THE VILLAGES* TRT 100 minutes. For 20 years the Video in the Villages/Video nas Aldeias project (VNA) has worked closely with Indian communities in Brazil. VNA produces the award-winning works of the project's many videomakers and organizes indigenous video production workshops. These productions won the top prizes at the recent Premio Anaconda Film Festival in Latin America and First People's Festival in Canada. Including: Wai'a Rini: The Power of the Dream and Marangmotxíngmo Mïrang: From the Ikpeng Children to the World	Video Hall

1:15 pm	*NEW GENERATIONS* TRT: 90 minutes. The growing talent of the next generation of Native filmmakers is making waves already. This program presents outstanding new productions from Native youth media projects in the U.S. and Canada. From the American Indian Resource Center in Tahlequah, Oklahoma: How the Red Bird Got His Color, and Might of the Starchaser From the Akatubi Film and Music Academy of the Owens Valley Career and Development Center in California: The Great Indian Massacre, Bigger Things, The Last Laugh, and Composure Discussion with Yvonne Russo (Lakota) and media-makers from the Akatubi Film and Music Academy follows.	Cinematheque
1:35 pm	*MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH: SHORT FICTIONS* TRT: 100 minutes. An explosion of Native film talent is seen in new works by directors from North America and the Pacific Rim that tell stories of resistance, spiritual strength, and transformation. Including: Kava Kultcha, The Shirt, Memory, Dot's Death, Wind, and Music Is the Medicine Introduced by Gary Farmer. Discussion with performer Derek Miller follows.	Video Hall
3:25 pm	*AS WE LIVE TODAY* TRT: 90 minutes. Including: I Belong to This and Looking Toward Home Discussion with producer Conroy Chino follows. Invited: director Dale Kruzic.	Cinematheque
3:35 pm	Is the Crown at War With Us? Discussion with director Alanis Obomsawin follows.	Video Hall
5:10 pm	A Thief of Time Discussion with director Chris Eyre and actors Adam Beach and Wes Studi follows.	Cinematheque
5:40 pm Free	Dreamkeeper Discussion with the associate producer Georgina Lightning (Cree) follows.	Video Hall
7:15 pm	A Bride of the Seventh Heaven	Cinematheque
8 pm	Don't Call Me Tonto Discussion with director Annie Frazier Henry follows.	Video Hall

12 pm	A Thief of Time Discussion with director Chris Eyre and actors Adam Beach and Wes Studi follows.	Cinematheque
12:20 pm	Our Nationhood Discussion with director Alanis Obomsawin follows.	Video Hall
2:05 pm	Black Cloud Discussion with director Rick Schroder follows.	Cinematheque
2:25 pm	*NATIVE GAMES* TRT: 90 minutes. Including: Toka and Spirit of the Game Discussion with director Annie Frazier Henry follows.	Video Hall
4:10 pm	*AS WE LIVE TODAY* TRT: 90 minutes. Including: I Belong to This and Looking Toward Home Discussion with producer Conroy Chino follows. Invited: director Dale Kruzic.	Cinematheque
4:25 pm	Don't Call Me Tonto Discussion with director Annie Frazier Henry follows.	Video Hall
5:55 pm	On the Corner	Cinematheque
6:10 pm	NUNAVUT SUMMER TRT: 80 minutes. Including: Kunuk Family Reunion (US premiere) and If the Weather Permits	Video Hall

7 pm	A Thief of Time Discussion with director Chris Eyre and actors Adam Beach and Wes Studi follows.	Cinematheque

7 pm	A Bride of the Seventh Heaven	Cinematheque

How to attend the Showcase

Patron Passes, including priority access to all Native Showcase events, are available for $150. All film/video shows are $8 for general admission and $6 for NMAI and CCA Members. Tickets and passes are available at the CCA box office beginning at 2 p.m. Friday, August 8. CCA is located at 1050 Old Pecos Trail. All events subject to change. Call 505-982-1338 or check www.ccasantafe.org for further information. For information about the screening in Albuquerque on August 14 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, call (505) 843-7270.

Showcase Staff

Elizabeth Weatherford, National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) and Jerry Barron, Center for Contemporary Arts. Coordinator: Michelle Svenson, NMAI. Outreach Coordinator: Charmaine Jackson-John, founding director of Na'al kid Film Festival, Farmington, NM. Additional support has been provided by the program and administrative staff of the NMAI Film and Video Center: Millie Seubert, Reaghan Tarbell, Kim Hudson, Elaine Grubbs. Special thanks to FVC intern Marcella Ernest. Center for Contemporary Arts: Luke Dorman, Ann Marran, Elisa Keir, Melanie Matthews, Julia Felix, Zach Scheinbaum and Owen Conley.

Presenting Organizations

Established in 1989, through an Act of Congress, the SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN is a museum of living cultures dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere. The Museum includes the George Gustav Heye Center, a permanent exhibition and education facility in New York City and the Cultural Resources Center, a research and collection facility in Suitland, Maryland. The museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. is opening with a gala celebration on September 21, 2004. For additional information on the Mall opening, the Museum or becoming a Charter Member, please visit our website at www.AmericanIndian.si.edu or call 1-800-242-NMAI (6624). Questions may be emailed to aimember@nmai.si.edu.

THE CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS is "Santa Fe's best known alternative art space." (Art in America), presenting the world's best cinema, contemporary art in three galleries and a progressive performing arts program.

THE POND FOUNDATION is a sponsor of The Native Cinema Showcase and the Center for Contemporary Arts. Pond Foundation is a small, private foundation and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

This year, for the first time, Native Cinema Showcase presents new work in Albuquerque in collaboration with the INDIAN PUEBLO CULTURAL CENTER. Owned and operated by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico, IPPC is the "gateway" to the 19 Pueblos and a centerpiece Pueblo heritage center, with programs, performances and conferences throughout the year. Open seven days a week, the Center features a main museum, a children's museum, the Pueblo Archives and Institute for Pueblo Research, a restaurant, and gift shops.

Poster/Cover Artist

Stephen Deo (Creek/Euchee) is an Oklahoma artist who studied at the Institute of American Indian Art, the San Francisco Art Institute and Purdue University. Working in sculpture, photography and multi-media painting, Deo creates contemporary work that retains a passionate and authentic Native voice. PERCEPTIONS, an exhibit of Deo's work in CCA's Lobby Gallery, opens August 20, 5-7 pm.

In Gratitude

Special thanks to W. Richard West, Director, National Museum of the American Indian; John Haworth, Director, NMAI George Gustav Heye Center; Sally Bowers, NMAI; V. Blackhawk Aamodt, filmmaker; Akatubi Film and Music Academy; American Indian Resource Center; The Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers; Orlando Bagwell, Roja Productions; Sara Driver, filmmaker; Gary Farmer, actor and media-maker; Finnish Film Foundation; Paul Gourlie, The Agency Group; Laura Milliken, Big Soul Productions; Beth Nussbaum, Hallmark Entertainment; Jim Jarmusch, filmmaker; Seth Rothman and Melissa Sanchez, Native Roots and Rhythm festival; Tom Stebbens and Owen Dockson, WGBH Boston; Jonathan Wacks, filmmaker; Grant Taylor, Suncloud Productions; Evy Todd, KNME-TV; Zia Film Distributing. Very special thanks to independent film curator and writer Jason Silverman.

We Salute

Native Roots and Rhythms Festival is a premier venue for contemporary and traditional Native American music, dance, storytelling, and comedy. The 10th Annual event will take place on August 20 and 21 at the Paolo Soleri Amphitheater in Santa Fe. Friday is a Contemporary Native Music & Comedy Showcase. Saturday is a Native Performing Arts Spectacular. Tickets: 505-988-1234, Tickets.com, Lensic box office (SF). Event info: www.santafe.net/nativerootsnrhythms.

Download the Native Cinema Showcase flyer

The flyer is available to download as a Portable Document File (PDF). To download the flyer enter here.

To view a PDF file, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. If you are not currently using this program, you need to download and install it. For more information about PDFs, enter here.

If you are unable to access the information from this Website, email the Webmaster for other options.