2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the Native American and Indigenous Program at Sundance Institute. Following president and founder Robert Redford’s original vision, the Institute has remained committed to supporting native/indigenous filmmakers since its founding. This support has created tremendous growth in the Native American media field and helped put these films on the cultural map. The Program has built and sustained a unique circle of support for indigenous film by scouting for and identifying artists, bringing them through lab and grant programs to get their projects made and shown, and taking the filmmakers and their work back to native lands to inspire new generations of storytellers. The Program, which currently operates labs and fellowships in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, has established a rich legacy of work and supported more than 300 filmmakers whose independent and original stories may have otherwise gone untold.
This exhibition consists of 10 programs of dramatic features and documentaries—nine features and 11 shorts in total—by Native American and indigenous directors from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Filmmakers in attendance include Taika Waititi (Te Whanau a Apanui) of New Zealand, and Chris Eyre (Cheyenne/Arapaho) and Heather Rae (Cherokee) from the U.S.
Presented by The Museum of Modern Art, in collaboration with Sundance Institute. Organized by Sally Berger, Assistant Curator, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art, and N. Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache), Director, Native American and Indigenous Program, Sundance Institute.
Prints are provided courtesy of the filmmakers and Sundance Institute.
