The Native Spirit Film and Video Festival
of the Indigenous Peoples of the Three Americas

In June 2007, The Native Spirit Foundation brought the first ever Film and Video Festival of the Indigenous Peoples of the Three Americas, to Europe, launching the Native Spirit Festival 2007 at City Hall, with a program of film screenings, lectures, workshops, exhibitions and Q&A sessions with film directors, running from the 4th -10th of June 2007 all across London. In October 2008, we held the 2nd Native Spirit Festival, previewing over 116 documentaries, animations, shorts, and feature films, throughout London, Barcelona, Madrid and Cantabria, in Spain.

The Native Spirit Festival, like all of the projects and activities organised by The Native Spirit Foundation, is a non profit event, run by volunteers in order to further the aims and objectives of the charity. Through the festival, indigenous filmmakers are provided with the opportunity to reach a wider range of audiences, sharing the wealth of their cultures, traditions, ancestral knowledge, views and daily realities, with people that have never had the chance to benefit from being exposed to these insights that remain so underrepresented in the in the global film and media industries.

The 2nd Native Spirit Festival was a huge success with rave reviews from across the board and plans are already underway for the 3rd Native Spirit Festival, in 2009.

However we can’t help feeling that, in the mean time, we have more than 116 brilliant films, that deserve the opportunity to be screened for the benefit of new audiences in towns and cities across the UK.

That it the reason that we have contacted you.

In considering the nature of your organisation, The Native Spirit Foundation feels that it may be of interest to you and the community that you serve, to collaborate with us, in organising film screenings, art exhibitions or Workshops in your area.

Workshops and film screenings that are provided for select individuals, such as in the case of schools, collages, private members groups and other such institutions, can be requested for a small contribution to the Foundation, however where activates are designed to be open to members of the public, we are willing to arrange event, where only the travel expenses of our volunteers need to be covered, and donations for the foundation can be taken from the public.

The Native Spirit Foundation does not employ any staff, so contributions and donations to the charity go directly towards helping our beneficiaries. The Native Spirit Foundation provides grants to indigenous communities and individuals, providing training and equipment to support educational projects, such as indigenous schools within the communities of the Wayuu, Maya and others in Venezuela, Guatemala and Argentina, and will soon be embarking on its most ambitious project to date, to fund and build an indigenous school, for the benefit of the local children, working with indigenous Mapuche communities in Southern Chile.

Below you can find a short synopses of just some of the many fantastic films that represent the cultural richness, diversity and reality of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, submitted to the Native Spirit 2008 that are available for screenings.

To download a full program from the Native Spirit Festival 2008 in PDF, with listings of all public screenings and workshops visit: http://www.nativespiritfestival.com/assets/Native%20Spirit%20Festival%202008%20Program.pdf

 

For more information please check out our websites at www.nativespiritfoundation.com.

Thank you for your time, we look forward to hearing from you, and hope you are interested in collaborating with The Native Spirit Foundation. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please don't hesitate to get in contact with us via telephone 02074028221 or email: Info@nativespiritfestival.com.

 

Feature Films:

Elijah
The Meech Lake debate was a pivotal event in Canadian political history, this brilliant and hilarious feature tells the story of Elijah Harper a First Nations icon who gained a position in the Canadian Governament and then used it to bring power and influence back into the hands of his people. By Paul Unwin. Canada. 86min

Kiviuq
Kiviuq is the legend of an ancient shaman that traces its way back through oral tradition to the origins of the Inuit people. Kiviuq was a prophet and these stories are his parables, forming the secret bible of the Inuit people. In this film the legend of Kiviuq is brought to life through theatrical performance and special effects. Fantastic, though with some reference to adult content. By John Houston. Canada. 72min

Documentaries:

Aqui Somos ( Hello! Can you hear us?)
From the Zapoteco communities in Mexico to the Aymaras in Bolivia this film looks at the struggles of four prominent Indigenous communities, with particular focus upon the Wayuu communities of Venezuela, giving a voice to the leaders of the indigenous people currently fighting against multinational corporations in order to stop the destruction of the natural resources so necessary to the survival of humankind. By Maya Bazzini. UK. 44min (+ Talk with Director by arrangement)

March Point
When Cody Nick and Travis, three teens from the Swinomish tribe,picked up a camera they planned on making a gangster rap video, instead they found themselves investigating the impact of two oil refineries on their tribal community, this film documents their journey as they come to recognise themselves, their environment and the threat their people face. Tracy Rector, Annie Silverstein, Cody Cayou, Travis Tom, and Nick Clark. USA.54min

Alcatraz is not an island
In November1969 a small group of Native American students and activists took the stand to occupy Alcatraz Island in San Francisco bay. They were soon joined by thousands, reclaiming “Indian Land”. This remarkable film documents the ideals, intentions and struggles faced by these pioneers, and the effect that they had on the way Native Americans viewed themselves and their cultures from then on. By James Fortier. USA. 56min

The Life and Work of the Woodland Artists
This insightful documentary explores the individual styles of the seven “Woodland Artist”, Eddy Cobiness, Daphne Odjig, Alex Janvier, Carl Rae, Jackson Beardy, Joe Sanchez and Norval Morrisseau and the influence that they had, collectively, on the 1970’s art world. By Raoul McKay. Canada. 48min

The Tribunal
In 1993 a tribunal was held in Hawaii, presided over by representatives of indigenous peoples throughout the world, to judge the acts of repression, subjugation of the Kanaka Maoli people and the unlawful annexation of Hawaii by the United Stated Government. This film documents the tribunal and examines some of the issues and arguments raised by the indigenous inhabitants of the Hawaiian islands. By Joan Lander and Puhipau of Na Maka o ka 'Aina. Hawaii. 84min

13 Pueblos Defending Water Air and Land.
This beautiful documentary explores the actions that 13 indigenous communities in Mexico are collectively taking to defend their environments from destruction and contamination by industrial and commercial projects that are threatening the water, air and land where they live. Francesco Yaboada Yabone. Mexico. 62min

The Mystery of Chaco Canyon
This fascinating documentary, narrated by Robert Redford, investigates the sophisticated knowledge of advanced astronomy, demonstrated in the architecture of the massive prehistoric ruins in Chaco Canyon, new Mexico. By Anna Sofaer. USA.56min

In the Light of Reverence
This feature length documentary explores the struggles that three different indigenous communities, Lakota, Hopi and Wintu, in North America face in trying to protect the sacred sights of their culture and their ancestors. This film was made as a teaching aid for Grade9-University.. By Christopher McLead . USA. 73min

Haunted land
Two paths cross on a descent into Guatemala's past: that of Mateo Pablo, a Maya survivor of one of many massacres committed by local state troops, and that of Daniel Hernandez-Salazar, a concerned Guatemalan artist and photographer. Together they travel to a remote site in the highlands where the community of Petanac once stood. The bones found there by archaeologists tell a mute story of agony. By Mary Ellen Davis. Canada. 74min

The Shaman’s Apprentice
Set deep in the Amazon rainforest of Suriname, this captivating documentary shows a ethnobotantists quest to preserve the ancient wisdom of its native shamans, providing startling revelations and evoking a respectful awe for the bounty that nature provides. By Miranda Smith US, 54 min.

Homeland: Four portraits of Native Action
Grave environmental threats- toxic waste, strip mining, oil drilling and nuclear contamination, often caused by bomb testing carried out by the government, are jeopardising the health of indigenous people, and the land and animals that they depend upon, in nearly all of the 317 Native American Reservations in the USA. We are told the story of four reservations where the works of individual activists has made a difference. Fighting to protect their land, preserve their sovereignty and ensure the cultural survival of their people. By Roberta Grossman. USA. 57min

Drum Beat For Mother Earth
Indigenous people are the environment, through millennia they have lived in harmony with nature, hunting and gathering on the lands of their ancestors, and so vital is their environment to them that their cultures, sprung up intertwined with the plants, animals, spirits, lakes, rivers, mountains and plains around them. Ceremonies, dances, clothing, art, legends, foods, and even their languages have their bases in the natural world, and when the environment is threatened, polluted, endangered and destroyed, so too are the indigenous people that make these lands their home. By Joseph Di Gangi and Amon Giebel. USA.54min

Animations:

Little Prince
A fantastic montage of animation and “autobiographical” narrative illustrates a profound metaphor for the lives of indigenous people ripped from their roots, lost and disconnected in the modern world. Beautiful. By Vince Papatie. Canada. 6min

Maq and the Spirit of the Woods
This beautiful creation tells the traditional legend of Maq a young boy who finds confidence and identity through the teachings of an accidental “vision quest”. An animated delight for all ages. By Phyllis Grant. Canada. 8.30min

Shorts:

Only the Devil Speaks Cree
This short fiction portrays the appalling treatment of indigenous children forced into residential schools, where they where taught to deny their heritage, and faced constant abuses. By Pamela Matthews. Canada. 32min

Life on the reservation
Made by young people with the help of the non-profit organisation In Progress, this film tells the story of the youth of the Leech Lake Reservation, who, in response to the often negative and uninformed opinions of people about them, aim to provide a chance for people to see who they really are and what they value. By Danielle and Joe White. Canada. 20min

The City
An indigenous man runs as fast as he can through the forests of his ancestral land to save his wife and child from an advancing threat. By Abraham Cote. Canada. 8min

Nana
This glorious film views “Nana” from the eyes of an adoring grandchild in awe of the strength and spirit of community that her grandmother embodies. By Warwick Thornton. Australia. 6min

The Turtle
A modern boy learns to embrace the traditions of his aboriginal family. By Kelli Cross. Australia. 6min

Good riddance to Chief Illiniwek
This short satire plays upon the historically institutionalised and derogatory portrayal of the “White Man’s Indian“. Definably worth watching. By Torry Mendoza. USA 1.5min

Living from the Land and Sea
This beautiful film takes a glimpse at the wonders and bounties of nature, hidden from all but know and are connected to the land, which have nourished the Alaskan Native peoples for generations. By Jonathan Stanton. Alaska 14min

To play the games
This fun and inspiring program focuses on the Alaska Native Games, a large celebration of indigenous people competing at traditional games. By Jonathan Stanton. Alaska. 25min

Done Dirt Cheap
This delightful short takes a look at the gold mining industry in Australia. By Debbie Carmody. Australia. 6min.

Take back the land- Spirit Lake
This beautiful and inspiring film highlights the tragic situation faced by the Secwepemc people, who face convictions of trespassing, for building their homes and communities on their ancestral lands. This documentary follows the story of one young family who choose to make their home by Spirit Lake. By Nitanis Desjarlais.. Canada. 28min

Talks & Workshops:

Medicine & Cosmovision Indigenous
Providing unique insight into the Mapuche culture of spiritual warriors (People of the Earth) from Southern Argentina and Chile. Freddy Treuquil, Mapuche artist and teacher, reveals the foundations of his peoples spiritual strength and honour in their philosophy of life, spiritual teachings, physical training, exercises of vibrational self-discovery and the applications of herbal medicines. Run by Freddy Treuquil

Indigenous Sound Workshop. An introduction to some of the musical instruments of the indigenous peoples, with the opportunity for children to practice with a Varity of sounds.