Attention Native American Filmakers

From Native American Times:

 American Indian Filmakers Heading to the Spotlight
Premiere for series of productions, film festival seeking entries

Sam Lewin 7/14/2005


This is a good time to be a fan of films made by Native Americans.

In New Mexico, the Institute of American Arts Summer Film & Television Workshop has completed and the features are ready to be seen by the public. A free screening is taking place at the institute’s LTC Auditorium on July 22. The event features six short films and one documentary.

IAIA’s John Villani says students completing the course include Navajo, Santa Ana, Yakima, Choctaw, Seneca, Cherokee Nation, Lakota, Ojibwe, Chickasaw, Creek Nation, Comanche and Kiowa. Their age ranges from mid-20’s to mid-40’s. Those involved with the project worked with Hollywood honchos from ABC Entertainment Television, NBC Universal and the Walt Disney Studios in what is described as a state-of-the-art production facility.

Looking ahead to the fall, the Eastern Cherokee, Southern Iroquois & United Tribes of South Carolina are seeking entries to the film festival they hold every year in honor of National Native American Indian Heritage Month.

"We are a non-profit organization that feels this is important. We have been successful getting new independent Native American and Indigenous Filmmakers and movies to new audiences," said film festival founder and coordinator Dr. Will Moreau Goins.

Organizers say they are especially interested in features hailing from diverse locales.

“This festival helps us make that connection to the rest of the Native American Indian world that is not in South Carolina. Bringing us new and contemporary images and current issues facing our Native brothers and sisters and also entertaining us,” said Goins. “We want to show contemporary, authentic, current and quality work in film that features Native American Indian and indigenous people and culture that been our goal since this film festival started and that goal hasn't changed. We welcome filmmakers from throughout the diverse Native and indigenous diasporas, reaching out specifically to our Latino/Hispanic native indigenous people, culture and filmmakers from the Indians in Brazil, South America, Central America or those of the Native Hawaiians. These all fit in our festival and we welcome filmmakers to submit that share stories from these Native experiences.”

The major categories for this festival include: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Commercial Feature, Short Subject, Music Video, Animated Short Subject, Student Film, Public Service, and Industrial. Formats excepted include: 35 mm, VHS, DVD, Digital, 16mm, and Beta SP. The deadline for submission is September 20, 2005.

For an application or more information contact:

ECSIUT, Film Festival of Southeastern USA
P.O. Box 7062,
Columbia South Carolina, 29202
(803) 699-0446,
Attn: Dr. Will Moreau Goins, Film Festival Coordinator/ Presenter
NTN Article#: 6720