Location: Rubenstein Arts Center Film Theater
A 90-minute program of eight short films curated by the organizers of the First Nations Film and Video Festival.
*Q&A with festival co-director Samantha Garcia to follow screening.
The mission of First Nations Film and Video Festival is to advocate for and celebrate the works of Native Americans filmmakers and new works and films that break racial stereotypes and promotes awareness of Native American issues. All films screened at the festival are directed by Indigenous/Native American filmmakers from the United States, Canada, Central and South America, and Mexico.
Samantha Garcia is an enrolled member of the Lac Courte Oreilles band of Lake Superior Ojibwe tribe in Wisconsin. She is the Co-director of First Nations Film and Video Festival.
Screening Program (TRT 90 min):
Canoe Connections (Reeva Billy [Squamish Nation (Canada, West Coast)], 2023, 4.5 min)
For the Canoe Cultures program in Vancouver Canada, an Indigenous-led non-profit carving centre, Mike Billy Sr. and Jr. are an example of the transference of knowledge from one generation of Squamish Nation War Canoe builder to the next.
katatjanik utippalianinga (The Return of Throat Singing) (Caroline Nochasak, Heather Angnatok, Jason Dicker, Jennifer Semigak, Joshua Jararuse, Matmatil Angnatok, Maxwell Saksagiak, Nancy Nochasak, Sarah Semigak Lidd, Jenn Brown, Troy Maher [Inuit], 2015, 6.5 min)
This film explores throat singing- a special talent and traditional game for both fun and public entertainment, which was nearly destroyed but has since been revived.
We Make Stories Out of Totem Poles (Sean Stiller, Patricia Marcoccia [Shuswap (Secwepemc) Nation], 2015, 8 min)
This short film opens a window into the world of Charles Joseph, a residential school survivor and a rare master carver in the community that still knows the stories behind traditional carvings.
JAAT SDIIHLYL'LXA (Woman Who Returns) (Heather Hatch [Haida Gwaii], 2016, 14 min)
Heather didn't know she was Haida until she was 16. Now, she's returning to Haida Gwaii to join her clan and receive her Haida name.
Jane & the Wolf (Directed by Nadine Arpin [Red River Michif], 2016, 10 min)
In the 1960s, Pagwa River was a booming railroad town populated by 2nd generation Crees. During one cold winter, the community was being stalked by a lone wolf. Every attempt to kill the wolf failed. Jane recognized the wolf as a spirit sign from the ancestors. Ridiculed for her beliefs, Jane set out alone to killing the wolf using the old ways. Jane’s story is interwoven with Rachel’s own journey to bring her mother Minnie Garrick to her final resting place.
Light (Directed by Sarah Hennigan [Cherokee], 2017, 15 min)
A 21st-Century reinterpretation of a Cherokee oral story. Darkness takes the world, with only around 10 minutes of light left each day. Humanity is dying. A gifted young woman is sent out into the darkness in a last-ditch effort to find a lifeline.
The Handsome Man (Misty Shipman and Hope Shipman [Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe (both directors, sisters, are enrolled)], 2022, 15.5 min)
When River meets a stranger who calls himself "The Handsome Man," on the borders of her reservation, she invites him home, and all manner of commotion ensues.
In Our Own Hands (Jennifer Varenchik [Tohono O'odham], 2021, 11 min)
A group of women plan rescue efforts when one of their own goes missing from their reservation.
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Screen/Society screenings are free and open to the public.
Parking Info: https://artscenter.duke.edu/parking
COVID-19 INFORMATION:
As we welcome audiences back for in-person screening events, we are prioritizing the health and safety of our extended community. Keeping each other safe during events will require collaboration and we are grateful for your support. Screen/Society and the Rubenstein Arts Center will adhere to all university, local, and state regulations on and off campus, which are subject to change on short notice depending on public health conditions.
Vaccination Status: We strongly encourage audience members to be fully vaccinated or have a recent negative PCR test before attending an event. Duke University currently requires all students and employees to be vaccinated. More information on Duke University’s COVID-19 response.
Masking: Current Duke University guidelines for events apply to all presentations on campus. As of 09/22/2022, masks are no longer mandatory for indoor screenings, though the policy could change again in the future. Masking remains one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and others, and is strongly recommended, especially in indoor settings. We should respect an individual’s decision to wear a mask even if it is not required.
Stay Home If You Are Feeling Sick: If you are feeling or showing symptoms of COVID-19 or if you believe you might have come into contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, please stay home.
Seating: For our screenings, seating is based on a first-come basis. We encourage everyone to be respectful during performances and maintain distancing as they feel comfortable.
Enhanced Cleaning: Venues on Duke University’s campus are operating under restricted access and receive enhanced cleaning and sanitization of high-touch surfaces. Duke University venue ventilation is in accordance with CDC guidelines.
Hand Hygiene: Hand sanitizer stations are positioned throughout campus venues for your convenience.
Healthy Team: All employees and vendors are required to be symptom free before entering the building, as well as wear masks at all times, and frequently wash their hands during shifts.
Contact: Hank Okazaki
Email: hokazak@duke.edu
Sponsor: Native American Studies Initiative
Co-Sponsors: Duke Cinematic Arts