Join us for the Red International Film Festival 2024!

Schedule of Events:

November 1, 2024

Red Nation Celebration Concert Series

Music Has The Power To Bring Us All Together
Joe Walsh And Jennifer Warnes Allies To Indian Country
Join Red Nation Celebration Institute's Concert Series:
Artists In Solidarity For Systemic Change Through The Arts.

Now, More Than Ever, The Future Is Indigenous. Our Native Indigenous Artists Need Our Allies To Stand With Us In Solidarity, Amplifying And Supporting The Native Narrative. Together, We Can Create Lasting Impact And Drive Meaningful Change. #Togetherwecan

November 2, 2024

Native Women Talk Character Development
Joanelle Romero (Award-winning Powwow Highway, The Girl Called Hatter Fox – The first film in which a Native actress carried the leading role. The first contemporary Native woman's story ever produced), Grace Dove (Award-winning Bones of Crows, Award-winning Monkey Beach) and Irene Bedard (Award-winning Songs My Brother Taught Me, Alaska Daily) share their stories of working in film and television.

The Conversation Series is a dynamic set of events occurring throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons annually. This series encompasses a range of engaging activities, from illuminating panel discussions to enriching masterclasses and invaluable networking events. Each year, The Conversation Series is thoughtfully curated to remain highly pertinent to contemporary industry themes, trends, and the challenges that shape our world.

Storytelling stands as the foundational language of Native Indigenous Peoples, profoundly influencing our community and binding us together. The power of narrative, the translation of moving images onto the screen, the visionary artistry, and the ensuing discussions—these elements collectively constitute “The Conversation.”

This series is an exultant celebration of Native Indigenous talents, including actors, comedians, musicians, writers, producers, directors, and their allies. Through stimulating conversations and panel discussions, we honor and champion their significant contributions to the world of entertainment.

November 3, 2024

Two Worlds Virtual Stage Reading
Spider Woman Stories

The Conversation Series is a dynamic set of events occurring throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons annually. This series encompasses a range of engaging activities, from illuminating panel discussions to enriching masterclasses and invaluable networking events. Each year, The Conversation Series is thoughtfully curated to remain highly pertinent to contemporary industry themes, trends, and the challenges that shape our world.

Storytelling stands as the foundational language of Native Indigenous Peoples, profoundly influencing our community and binding us together. The power of narrative, the translation of moving images onto the screen, the visionary artistry, and the ensuing discussions—these elements collectively constitute “The Conversation.”

This series is an exultant celebration of Native Indigenous talents, including actors, comedians, musicians, writers, producers, directors, and their allies. Through stimulating conversations and panel discussions, we honor and champion their significant contributions to the world of entertainment.

November 4, 2024

RNCI Global Film & TV Location Scouting
& Career Development

The Conversation Series is a dynamic set of events occurring throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons annually. This series encompasses a range of engaging activities, from illuminating panel discussions to enriching masterclasses and invaluable networking events. Each year, The Conversation Series is thoughtfully curated to remain highly pertinent to contemporary industry themes, trends, and the challenges that shape our world.

Storytelling stands as the foundational language of Native Indigenous Peoples, profoundly influencing our community and binding us together. The power of narrative, the translation of moving images onto the screen, the visionary artistry, and the ensuing discussions—these elements collectively constitute “The Conversation.”

This series is an exultant celebration of Native Indigenous talents, including actors, comedians, musicians, writers, producers, directors, and their allies. Through stimulating conversations and panel discussions, we honor and champion their significant contributions to the world of entertainment.

November 5, 2024

The Conversation Series is a dynamic set of events occurring throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons annually. This series encompasses a range of engaging activities, from illuminating panel discussions to enriching masterclasses and invaluable networking events. Each year, The Conversation Series is thoughtfully curated to remain highly pertinent to contemporary industry themes, trends, and the challenges that shape our world.

Storytelling stands as the foundational language of Native Indigenous Peoples, profoundly influencing our community and binding us together. The power of narrative, the translation of moving images onto the screen, the visionary artistry, and the ensuing discussions—these elements collectively constitute “The Conversation.”

This series is an exultant celebration of Native Indigenous talents, including actors, comedians, musicians, writers, producers, directors, and their allies. Through stimulating conversations and panel discussions, we honor and champion their significant contributions to the world of entertainment.

November 6, 2024

American Indian Heritage Month:
How AIHM Came About in Los Angeles

The Conversation Series is a dynamic set of events occurring throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons annually. This series encompasses a range of engaging activities, from illuminating panel discussions to enriching masterclasses and invaluable networking events. Each year, The Conversation Series is thoughtfully curated to remain highly pertinent to contemporary industry themes, trends, and the challenges that shape our world.

Storytelling stands as the foundational language of Native Indigenous Peoples, profoundly influencing our community and binding us together. The power of narrative, the translation of moving images onto the screen, the visionary artistry, and the ensuing discussions—these elements collectively constitute “The Conversation.”

This series is an exultant celebration of Native Indigenous talents, including actors, comedians, musicians, writers, producers, directors, and their allies. Through stimulating conversations and panel discussions, we honor and champion their significant contributions to the world of entertainment.

November 7, 2024

Indigenous Gaming Coalition
In Partnership with Treyarch

Join Joanelle Romero and the writers of When Rivers Were Trails, Lee Francis IV and Elaine Gómez-Sanchez, for an in-depth conversation on why representation matters in entertainment and gaming.

Winner of the Adaptation Award at IndieCade 2019, When Rivers Were Trails is a point-and-click adventure game about the impact of colonization on Indigenous communities in the 1890's.

When Rivers Were Trails is a 2D point-and-click adventure game in which Oregon Trail meets Where the Water Tastes Like Wine. An Anishinaabeg in the 1890's is displaced from their traditional territory in Minnesota and heads west to California due to the impact of allotment acts on Indigenous communities, facing Indian Agents, meeting people from different nations, and hunting, fishing, and canoeing along the way as they balance their wellbeing.

Developed in collaboration with the Indian Land Tenure Foundation and Michigan State University's Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab thanks to support from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and contributions from over thirty Indigenous writers, artists, and musicians.

The game features over thirty Indigenous contributors with creative directing by Nichlas Emmons, creative directing, design, and user interface art by Elizabeth LaPensée, art by Weshoyot Alvitre, and music by Supaman and Michael Charette. Indigenous writers include Weshoyot Alvitre, Li Boyd, Trevino Brings Plenty, Tyrone Cawston, Richard Crowsong, Eve Cuevas, Samuel Jaxin Enemy-Hunter, Lee Francis IV, Carl Gawboy, Elaine Gomez, Ronnie Dean Harris, Tashia Hart, Renee Holt, Sterling HolyWhiteMountain, Adrian Jawort, Kris Knigge, E. M. Knowles, Elizabeth LaPensée, Annette S. Lee, David Gene Lewis, Korii Northrup, Nokomis Paiz, Carl Petersen, Manny Redbear, Travis McKay Roberts, Sheena Louise Roetman, Sara Siestreem, Joel Southall, Jo Tallchief, Allen Turner, and William Wilson, alongside guest writers Toiya K. Finley and Cat Wendt.

November 8, 2024

8:00pm - Opening Night - Oyate Woyaka (The People Speak)
5:00PM - YINTAH

Documentary

3:00pm - The Woman of Stars and Mountains
8:00PM - Oyate Woyaka (The People Speak)

November 9, 2024

Spotlight

7:15pm - Powwow Highway
5:00pm - Sugarcane

Documentary

3:15pm - Water for Life
5:00PM - Sugarcane

Doc Shorts

1:00PM
Entropy
Gloria
A Beautiful Place
Seminole Pathways
WIyamI IpanumItha (Women Drum Singers)

November 10, 2024

9:00pm - The Windigo

Documentary

7:50pm - Labeled: The Missing, Murdered, and Forgotten
6:45pm - Las Amazonas de Yaxunah
4:35pm - Giants Rising
3:20pm - NEW: ART is Culture, CULTURE is Art
1:00pm - The Electric Indian

Live Action

2:15pm

Our Father
Submerege
The Shadow Path
Butterfly
Vess

November 11, 2024

Features
8:30pm - Itu Ninu

Documentary
6:00pm - Stories We Have Earned

November 12, 2024

5:30pm - Borders

Documentary

8:45pm - Hacking at Leaves
6:45pm - reEarth ...Rights of Nature

November 13, 2024

Documentary

6:10pm - Song of the Last Lacandon Holy Man
8:30pm - RESIDENT ORCA

Live Action

3:00pm

The Sound
Voraz - Ravenous
Lumbeeland
Mawtini
Glen Reige 20 WP
Fools Gold

November 14, 2024

Features

8:30PM - The Birds Who Fear Death

Documentary

6:10PM - Black Water Green Gold

Doc Shorts

3:00PM

We Ride for her
Stay Awhile
Primero Sueno
The Power of Ceremony
Kumeyaay Land
Speaking with the Ancestors
Bucking on the Rez

November 15, 2024

8:30pm - Bring Them Home

Animation

4:45pm
Dangerously Ever After
Poos
Rabbit Stories
Pikiwi

Episodics

6:15pm

Little Bird
KIN
Facing the Storm: The Indigenous Response to climate change

Streaming Online

The Heart Stays
Director: Diane Fraher
A coming of age story about a Native American teen who must choose between her own personal goals and the traditional responsibilities of the old ways. Everything comes to a head when her sister gets into trouble forcing the issue.

The Fighter
Director: André-Charles Ishpatao
André-Charles is a boxer. Sports changed his life. He hopes his journey will inspire others to regain their pride and hold their heads high when facing life's adversities.

Kak: Intergenerational transmission of an ilnu family
Director: Manuel Kak'wa Kurtness
In Kak, Manuel talks to his children. He communicates to them the importance of intergenerational transmission of family knowledge and Ilnu culture. Manuel films his parents and children during meetings where this knowledge is transmitted and lived in the present.

The Forgotten Warriors
Director: Noel Joe
The true story of the courageous stand of M'kmaq activists from Conne River, Newfoundland as they hunger for justice and fight for their right to self-determination.

Ehute-vpohyvuke (Homesick)
Director: Wilson Stiner
Spirits guide a contemporary Mvskoke artist reconciling his people's history and mythology.

Joshua Garrett goes by Deadfeather, a multi-media creator expressing himself along a journey to uncover the truth of his identity.

Zapotec Spirit
Director: Polaris Castillo
Zapotec weaver Oscar Perez shares the wisdom of his ancestors in Teotitlán del Valle in Oaxaca, México. Oscar is an incredibly humble artist, five generations deep into his work, and he's lovingly passing his craft onto his children — along with teaching them how to speak the Zapotec language at home.

Facing the Storm: The Indigenous Response to Climate Change (Episode 2 Tribal Food Sovereignty)
Director: Mikayla Gingrey
"Facing the Storm: The Indigenous Response to Climate Change", is an episodic series highlighting Climate Justice leaders in the Indigenous community who have been fighting to protect Mother Earth since time immemorial. This series takes a look at climate change and climate justice in Seattle from the Native lens by focusing on the cultural, ancestral and communal impact climate change has on Indigenous Peoples. The episode, "Tribal Food Sovereignty: Sustaining Culture, Identity and Connection", highlights the negative impact climate change has on access to traditional foods and medicines. Indigenous culture in many ways is defined by connection to the land, air, water and knowing what Mother Earth provides. When climate change impacts these three integral parts, it takes away access to traditional foods and strips away a key aspect of Indigenous culture and identity. In this episode, we hear from climate justice leaders who share their efforts and passion for protecting and keeping traditional foods at the center of the table.

Xingu - Tokyo: An Ancestral Connection
Directors: Marisa Moreira Salles, Pedro Jezler, Rafael Costa, Tomás Alvim
The original Brazilian people preserve an ancient artistic tradition that draws attention for the way it combines functionality and beauty: the manual manufacture of wooden benches, carved directly from tree trunks and decorated with natural pigments and ornaments. They are very varied pieces, produced by different ethnic groups, but all of them exquisite objects of art and design, and which still preserve the religious and symbolic dimensions of the beliefs of each people.

The exceptionality of these pieces of art is brought to light by a documentary film that, in addition to presenting this little-known section of the art of Brazilian indigenous peoples, reveals yet another surprising layer: the similarities between this millenary tradition and another equally ancient culture, the Japanese. . Xingu/Tokyo: an ancestral connection presents an unexpected and uncontested approximation between two worlds, that of the indigenous peoples of the Xingu and the Japanese, as it walks through aspects of both traditions. According to Toyojiro Hida, Director General of the Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in Tokyo, there is a mythology according to which all Japanese people come from a single origin and, therefore, Japanese art is one. However, when discovering Brazilian indigenous benches, Hida challenges this theory: these indigenous objects are proof that distant cultures can share a common essence.

Les Filles du Roi
Director: Corey Payette
A young Mohawk girl, Kateri, and her brother Jean-Baptiste, have their lives disrupted upon the arrival of Les Filles du Roi in 1665 ‘New France', forge an unlikely relationship with young fille Marie-Jean Lespérance – whose dream of a new life is more complicated than she could have imagined.

Diversity in Kanata
Director: Rhonda Valerie Head
A look at how diverse Indigenous Tribes are across Canada.

Voices Of The West
Director: Cam Mackey
Set against the majestic landscapes of Montana and Wyoming, "Voices Of The West" celebrates the contributions of Native Americans to the origins of American cowboy culture.

Long viewed as the domain of white men and women of European descent, this documentary follows the lives of modern Native Americans as they work their land and livestock, participate in regional rodeo events, and reflect on the rich history of the "Indian Cowboy."

On the wings of a powerful and sometimes haunting musical soundtrack from country music star Ian Munsick, "Voices of the West" challenges our perception of the American cowboy and acknowledges the rich heritage of Native Americans in the formation of the modern West.

Beyond the Ruins
Director: Brady Skye
Embark on a captivating journey that delves into the essence of Yucatecan Maya life in the 21st century. This feature-length documentary unfolds against the backdrop of Coba, the second largest Maya ceremonial center in the ancient world. From this archaeological marvel, the film ventures deep into the lush jungles and intimate villages, offering a poignant exploration of two indigenous families committed to preserving their rich heritage.

At its core, Beyond the Ruins weaves a tapestry that illuminates the profound interconnectedness of existence, as mirrored in the ancient Maya philosophy of "in lak' ech, a lak' en" — where "I am you; you are me." The film not only resurrects a vibrant but often overlooked culture; it also invites viewers to contemplate the universal lessons embedded in Maya wisdom. Through this evocative lens, audiences discover not only a living legacy but a source of inspiration to enhance their own quality of life.

HEALING OF THE DRAGONFLY
Director: Nina Barbier
Joe Pulliam, an Oglala Lakota Sioux artist living in Rapid City in the state of South Dakota. Father of 4, Joe Pulliam opened an art gallery exclusively with his work, painting on ledgers inspired by his culture and traditional life. This documentary tells his story and his artistic journey from Pine Ridge reservation to hi last exhibition in Rapid City ( SD)

Tecumseh
Director: Cher Ann Obediah
Tecumseh is a short documentary about a historical hero who had the future in mind.

Immersed in the Indigenous way he navigated a colonizer mindset to reimagine the landscape of Turtle Island. His leadership and efforts were cut short but the spirit of his vision lives on today, with hope for a peaceful path forward.

#TalithaKoum
Director: Misty Shipman
When a young mother suffers a sudden and grievous loss, she seeks a miracle from God.

Fear of the Indian
Director: Priscilla Wolf
The theme of ignorance is meant to reveal how mainstream media covers the Indigenous community in mainstream media. Many factors contribute to how and why mainstream media doesn't tell stories about Indigenous people fairly. The main factor being lack of information and education about Indigenous people. How does mainstream media portray Indigenous people in the media and has it improved in the past three decades? The overall subject of the larger overall documentary is how mainstream media portrays Indigenous people in Canada.

The Big Idea: Indigenous Robotics
Director: Sarah Klein, Tom Mason
After Ojibwe native Danielle Boyer joined the robotics team in high school, she realized how out of reach robotics are for low-income families. Since then, she's made it her mission to create free robot kits to connect other Indigenous youth to the tech skills that will shape their future.

Hadaya
Writer and Director: Alika Sheyahshe Mteuzi
Major General Hadaya leads the Black and Indigenous Liberation Army (BILA) in an uprising to reclaim a society controlled by an oppressive regime. Set in the future, the film is a blend of encrypted broadcasts, surveillance, and psychic extractions detailing the 2033 rebellion. As the Liberation Army grapples with colonial domination, they employ undetectable, encrypted transmissions as a lifeline for a disconnected community, risking everything to stay one step ahead of detection. The story unfolds against a backdrop of tactical maneuvers and diplomatic struggles, revealing a world where war is a constant, but the hope for a peaceful, self-sustaining nation burns fiercely.

Redlights
Director: Eva Thomas
An evening out takes a dramatic turn for two Indigenous women, Tina and Amber, when Amber is suddenly taken into police custody. Fearing the worst, Tina tails the cruiser outside city limits and makes a courageous choice to free her friend.

Winding Path
Directors: Alexandra Lazarowich, Ross Kauffman
"Being an urban Indian is really complicated because you have this geographic disconnection from your land and your community."

Jenna Murray is an Eastern Shoshone medical student at the University of Utah. Her most formative childhood experiences were spent on her family's Wind River Indian Reservation ranch where she loved nothing more than helping her grandfather: a cowboy, teacher and tribal judge. When her active, 70 year old Papa suddenly dies of a preventable health issue, Jenna grapples with her dream of a career in tribal health while facing her own mental health crisis.

Directed by Cree filmmaker and 2019 Sundance Award Winner Alexandra Lazarowich (Fast Horse), and Oscar winning Director Ross Kauffman (Born into Brothels, ETEAM); Co-Produced by Sundance Native Lab Alum Charine Pilar Gonzales; original score by Choctaw Nation Musician Samantha Crain (Fancy Dance, Sundance 2023).

What has been the impact of colonization on the people of Yuquot?
Director: Paul Lowey
The colonization of the Mowachaht / Muchalaht territory lead to the devastation of the community and abandonment of the ancestral village. Now the community is working to re-tell its story from their perspective.

November 16, 2024

RNCI the Creative Enterprise by Natives
Delivering To All People
The Stories That Shape Our World
Amplifying Native Indigenous content creators in front of and behind the camera, since 1995.

The nonprofit enterprise Red Nation Celebration Institute along with its partners of inclusion, hosts screenings and events year-round throughout the United States, as well as abroad and online, to celebrate Native Indigenous independent storytelling, help artists refine their craft, and reach global audiences.

Founded 1995 by Joanelle Romero is the longest standing Native Women-Led, Indigenous media arts cultural pioneer nonprofit enterprise in the Entertainment Industry.

November 17, 2024

Don't miss this annual Global Celebration during American Indian Heritage Month in November.

2024 will be the twelfth year of Streaming the RNCI Red Nation Awards on Red Nation Television Network.

Red Nation International Film Festival & Awards buzz has began!

Join the conversation by sharing your thoughts. Follow Us via  Instagram & on Facebook (Red Nation Film Festival).

Cementing native image at the forefront of the industry, highlighting the very best American Indian & Indigenous contributions in film, television, comedy, music and the arts.

Red Nation International Film Festival, RNCI Red Nation Awards, Red Nation Television Network-Native is Here, is all about Natives in Charge of their Narrative being the trustworthy American Indian & Indigenous content provider with its groundbreaking initiatives and programs.

November 21 - 30, 2024

"Four Cities, Four Screens" – Bringing the Red Nation International Film Festival to selected theaters across the country. In-person

November 30, 2024

American Indian Holocaust Memorial
The American Indian Holocaust Memorial was established in 2007 by RNCI, Downton Los Angeles. The ceremony was held at The Los Angeles State Historic Park.

Date: November 1 - 30, 2024

Location: AMC The Grove 14, 189 The Grove Dr Los Angeles, CA 90036 and Virtual Event

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