American Indian Film Institute

We are ecstatic for Loretta Ls Todd and her entire Monkey Beach crew! Well deserved!

So many films to see! Stream AIFF45 to November 14. Check us out at aifisf.com #AIFF45

Order your tickets for #AIFF45 "Food Sovereignty: Program 3". The program includes: "Chishkale: The Blessing of the Acorn" and "Nahanni River of Forgiveness". Visit aifisf.com and stream them today! Chishkale: The Blessing of the Acorn: Bernadette Smith, from the Manchester band of Pomo Indians, weaves the story of her Tan Oak conservation efforts into a contemporary Indigenous dance piece created to honor the sacred, traditional food of California Natives. The "Acorn Dance"... is performed on Sogorea Te' Land Trust in Huichin on Ohlone Territory (Albany, CA). This short film is made in collaboration with Dance Mission Theater and Costanoan Indian Research Inc. "Acorn Dance" choreography & artistic direction by Rulan Tangen of Dancing Earth, commissioned by Emily Johnson of Catalyst Dance. Nahanni River of Forgiveness: The Dene are Indigenous people in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Dehcho Dene spent the winters hunting and trapping in the mountains along the South Nahanni River. In the spring they would build a great moose skin boat. When the ice broke, the families with all their belongings and their harvest of dried meat and furs would set off down the magnificent Nahanni River. A moose skin boat hasn’t been seen on the Nahanni in one hundred years! Now Dene want to re-awaken this tradition, to reconnect with the spirit the spirit of their ancestors, the spirit of their land, and of their culture. It is a sacred, healing journey to reclaim whatever has been lost.

Order your tickets for #AIFF45 "Climate: Program 2". The program includes: "Along the Winisk River" and "Native Wisdom: The People of Eastern Oregon". Visit aifisf.com and purchase them today! Along the Winisk River: In Canada, a remote Indigenous community is fighting for its survival in the age of climate change. Extreme weather, changes in ice formation, and wildfires have made hunting and gathering for traditional food more and more dangerous and difficult. Along the Win...isk River is a portrait of a community as it comes together to embark on a caribou hunt in the freezing subarctic winter of Canada. The film explores the impacts of this struggle against a backdrop of systemic discrimination and calls for the government of Canada to do better to protect Indigenous communities. Native Wisdom - The Peoples of Eastern Oregon: Indigenous scientists, artists and elders from several Oregon interior tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Reservation, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde share observations of their changing environment, natural resource issues, and the beauty of tribes’ traditional arts, music and storytelling.

Holey! Have you checked out that #AIFF45 'Student Program'? visit aifisf.com The Match: Frank, a young tennis player, must battle his inner demons on the court.... God’s Park: The unusual story of an invisible man who must find a way to get his body back. Mocom: A girl living with her aunt discovers something unique that will allow her to reconnect with her mysterious mocom (grandfather) and to harness the power of her ancestors. HELI, SET TE SÁL TE, which means bringing our Language back to life, through prayer and song, the youth demonstrates the importance of carrying on their language and culture in their community. I'm Fine: A day in the life of a high school student struggling with anxiety. My Favourite Food is Indian Tacos, my Favourite Drink is Iced Tea and my Favourite Thing is Drumming: A film about courage and the passions young Darius shares with his friends. Giiwebatoo (Run Home): This film was inspired by appalling events that took place in residential schools and the horrors Indigenous children saw and endured. Ka tatishtipatakanit (Ethereal): A man spreads rumours about a local elder. To be forgiven, he will be put to the test. Ka tatishtipatakanit (Ethereal) is a poetic lesson about respect. Kassinu (All): A young woman proud of her Innu heritage illustrates her love for mother earth with images of her own experiences. Who Am I?: This video is about identity and family history. I've struggled with my identity since I was a kid, I address my rationale in this short. The Lord's Day: To get over his Sunday boredom, a young Atikamekw spends time with friends, reminiscing about his dogs. Red Sky: In an alternate earth, the apocalypse has wrecked havoc on Tyler’s whole reality. Awaken examines the challenges of three cousins as they navigate the contemporary world and traditional world. Metal music is their passion and traditional music their duty. Can they do both?

Hey ya'll - AIFF45 is now streaming! AIFF45 runs to November 14. Check out our website: aifisf.com and explore our film catalog. Have a great day!

Thank you Native News Online !! https://nativenewsonline.net//45th-annual-american-indian-

Pre-order your tickets for the "Climate" program. For ten dollars the program includes 'The Hands of an Elder', 'Connecting Our Generations: Voices of Native Veterans', "Forgotten People', 'Star People: Our People Are From the Stars, Not Monkeys' and 'Miwuk'. Catch these programs and more at our website: www.aifisf.com. The American Indian Film Festival will stream On Demand from November 6-14. The Hands of an Elder: The importance of Cree culture in an ever-changing world.... Connecting Our Generations: Voices of Native Veterans: In this documentary centered around the National Gathering of American Indian Veterans, Native American veterans are asked to reflect on the military, their culture, and the connections they make with other veterans. Forgotten People: An intimate look at how Navajos from different generations of a single family strive to keep their traditional values to pass on to future generations while finding their own place in American society. Star People: Our People Are From the Stars, Not Monkeys: Could it be that that our Indigenous ancestors are descended from the stars, not evolved from monkeys as prevailing Darwinian theory suggests? Using the intersection of modern scholarship with our ancient legends about historical contact with Star People we will ascertain if this extraordinary claim is in fact a stranger than fiction truth. And examine a burgeoning Star Knowledge underground movement advancing this extraordinary concept. Miwuk: Seven elders of the Southern Sierra Miwuk tell their story of growing up in Mariposa County. Two grew up in Yosemite National Park. Some stories are heartwarming, some are sad. After watching this film, we hope you will have a better understand of the Miwuk.

Pre-order your tickets for the "Narratives" program. For ten dollars the program includes 'Grandmother', 'Abolishing "Indian" Mascots & Reclaiming Native Identity", "Pitoc e icinakosian', and "Return to Foretop's Father ". Catch these films and more at our website: www.aifisf.com. The American Indian Film Festival will stream On Demand from November 6-14. Grandmother: Native activist and thought leader Mark Charles tells a metaphorical story composed to express the feeling of... being Native American and intended to adjust the posture and heart of dominant culture towards Native peoples. Abolishing "Indian" Mascots & Reclaiming Native Identity: One Napa High School graduate reflects on his life. Pitoc e icinakosian: Gerry and their big brother Jos show us that there is more to being different than bullying, discrimination and harassment. Return to Foretop's Father follows, 78-year-old, Crow tribal elder and pipe lighter, Grant Bulltail as he travels from Crow Agency in Montana to Heart Mountain in Wyoming. Through his journey he reveals a dark past of genocide, ethnocide and the destruction of the land. Grant’s mission is to bring awareness regarding the disconnect between people and nature, culminating in the universal impacts of climate change. By connecting stories that have been passed down to him from generations of Native Americans, he presents his perspective on the modern crisis through a historic pipe ceremony at the base of the sacred Heart Mountain.

It's festival day! Films unlock at 7pm EST tonight. If you have already pre-ordered tickets, then you're all set. When the time comes, you will only need to log into your Eventive account then start watching. All films in our catalog will be available to stream from November 6 -14 . Happy Festival everyone!

Pre-order your tickets for the "Land Back" program. For ten dollars the program includes 'Yupkyvi - The Place Beyond the Horizon', 'Shattering Sacred Ground' and "THE MOUNTAIN THAT WEEPS". Catch all these films and more at our website: www.aifisf.com. The American Indian Film Festival will stream On Demand from November 6-14. Yupkyvi - The Place Beyond the Horizon: Yupkyvi is the Hopi name for Chaco Canyon. Currently, the greater Chacoan landscape is under threat from agg...ressive oil and gas development. Existing laws and management policies are good at protecting monumental architecture such as great houses, but it is more difficult to locate, interpret, and manage features such as roads, soundscapes, and night skies. Our ability to understand Chaco depends upon the protection of this landscape in a way that honors both what is known and what we still must learn. Drs. Ruth Van Dyke & Carolyn Heitman. Shattering Sacred Ground is the first film in this important Documentary Mini-Series focused on the history of a group of artesian springs that have flowed over 20 million gallons a day of clear, fresh water for 11,000 years in the Chihuahuan Desert of West Texas and a Cherokee woman's fight to protect this very fragile ecosystems existence from the onslaught of the fossil fuel industry. THE MOUNTAIN THAT WEEPS is a 2019 documentary film about the most contentious land-use battle in Riverside County, California history. In 2005, Granite Construction Company proposed a seventy-five-year open-pit mining project on the southern border of the City of Temecula, California. More than just a development vs environment story, THE MOUNTAIN THAT WEEPS explores which force is stronger, the power of community, corporate greed, the corruption of politics, or reverence for the sacred.

Pre-order your tickets for the "Sports" program. For ten dollars the program includes "THE THIRD - Lindy Waters III", "WARRIOR COACH", and "Decade of Dominance- The Warriors". Catch these programs and more at our website: www.aifisf.com The American Indian Film Festival will stream On Demand from November 6-14. THE THIRD - Lindy Waters III: Lindy Waters III is a basketball standout playing for Oklahoma State University. As a Cherokee and Kiowa ball player, Lindy takes prid...e in being a role model for young Native American players. WARRIOR COACH is about a small Native American school in Wewoka, Oklahoma known for producing big basketball talent with a style of play commonly referred to as "Rez Ball". Led by Coach Chris Jones (Choctaw/Kiowa/Apache), the Justice Warriors compete for the 2020 ORES State title once again. Decade of Dominance- The Warriors, a documentary chronicling the San Pasqual Valley High School Football team, the Warriors, and their quest for football dominance during 1970’s. San Pasqual Valley High School is located within the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation in Southern California and is the only high school from within a Native American reservation to ever win a state championship in 11-man football. Here’s a high school with a student body of less then 120 students, in one of the poorest counties in the United States dominating high school football. Today, 40 years later, we bring you back to this community and visit with surviving players and coaches, taking a look back at that decade, and the building of the program. Today there are no banners or plaques at the school recognizing their state championships. Why?

AIFI presents a micro performance series featuring Sage Cornelius. Sage Cornelius is a young and diverse musician from Topeka, Kansas whom effortlessly puts a unique mean spin on violin with ease. Sage’s playing style pays tribute to his years spent playing in symphonic orchestras as well as his roots as a bluegrass fiddle player. Whether it be in a chamber orchestra, busking solo on the street, or touring with head banging hard rock acts that perform on stages around the world, proud Topekan Sage demonstrates his skill to provide a diverse/one of a kind lively performance. Sage proudly represents the Dine, Oneida, Potawatomi, and Kickapoo tribes. Catch his performance for free at #AIFF45 from November 6 -14 at www.aifsif.com

It's almost time! Films unlock tomorrow at 7 pm Eastern. Explore the festival at https://watch.eventive.org/aiff45