The Native Spirit Festival in an annual film and video festival of the Indigenous Peoples of the three America's, that is organisted to raise funds for the Native Spirit Foundation.

As well as showcasing an eclectic mix of feature films, shorts and documentaries, that bring together some outstanding films that represent the cultural richness, diversity and reality of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the Native Spirit Festival also provides a variety of live performances, lectures, Q&A sessions with film directors, workshops and art exhibitions.

The Native Spirit Festival was conceived with the aim of allowing the British public to gain an invaluable insight into the lives of indigenous peoples that are surviving in the contemporary landscape of the three Americas and learn from their inspiring stories. As severely under-represented people in the global film and media industries, the festival has been seen as a much-needed platform to celebrate and explore indigenous life and demonstrate that although these communities are culturally diverse, they share common views and plights; above all, their unique spiritual relationship with the natural world and their struggle to maintain their cultural identity in the face of modernisation and the encroachment of mainstream western culture. The festival will also provide an opportunity for emerging indigenous filmmakers from the Americas to introduce their works to a UK audience for the first time.

The Native Spirit Festival is now on its 3rd year, and plans are underway for the Native Spirit Festival 2009. In the mean time we are hoping to organise some more screenings of the films selected for the Native Spirit Festival 2008 and other activities so keep a look out and remember to sign up to our Newsletter below.

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To find out about the Native Spirit Festival 2007, and to glance at the program click here.

To find out about the Native Spirit Festival 2008 and to look at the program click here.

If you are considering submitting your film in the Native Spirit Festival 2009, please see our guidelines here. Or alternatively if you are interested in collaborating with the Native Spirit Festival in some other way, click here.

The Native Spirit Festival remains a much-needed platform for indigenous peoples of the Americas to share their voices and realities with the British public, broaden the range of films available, promoting greater access to film, and introducing people to alternative cultures that they may otherwise never be exposed to.

The Native Spirit festival aims have also been; to increase awareness and understanding of the issues that affect indigenous peoples and their common struggle to maintain their unique cultural identity in an increasingly modernising and secular world, highlighting the importance of preserving indigenous & minority groups, the need for us to help protect them for future generations and how contemporary issues like globalisation and the environment are vital to their existence, promoting tolerance and social integration, offering a valuable insight into the rich and diverse cultures, history, traditions and struggles of indigenous peoples who remain an integral part of the three Americas and celebrating the human spirit and achievement.

The aims & objectives of The Native Spirit Festival are multiple, but above all the project hopes to educate, entertain and inspire all those who participate!