Native FilmFest: a celebration of diversity

When you have a guest programmer from the Smithsonian Institution and one of the featured films is produced by the Sundance Institute, those strategic alliances give the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum's 14th Annual Native FilmFest "street cred" that would be the envy of many other film festivals around the country.

But those credentials aren't the only ones that this year's Native FilmFest can boast about. Vogue magazine just featured one of the festival's filmmakers in the February issue. The Campaign for Humanity Foundation's participation also adds to the high profile affiliations while underscoring the festival's focus of diversity.

This year's Native FilmFest (March 3 – March 8) will present 11 films by, about, and starring Native Americans and other indigenous peoples from around the world; the festival will include a range of feature films, documentaries, and short films, followed by Q&A sessions with the filmmakers and/or actors.

The festival's films have been programmed by Elizabeth Weatherford, founder and director of the Film and Video Center of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Weatherford will be on hand to participate in the opening night (March 3) panel discussion, Views on Native Film, with the theme focusing on the Impact of the Sundance Institute on the Development of Native Film.

Also participating in the panel discussion will be N. Bird Runningwater, a filmmaker, director of Sundance Native Film Lab Fellowship Program, and programmer of Native Initiative of Sundance Institute; and Sydney Freeland, director of "Drunktown's Finest."

Freeland's film, "Drunktown's Finest," was reviewed in Vogue and drew glowing reviews. Freeland is a transgender Navajo whose film will be shown on Wednesday, March 4. In her Vogue piece, writer Karley Sciortino states, "What's really beautiful about this film is its universality. It left me with the same heightened feeling of connectiveness that I had after seeing "Boyhood." Freeland's film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and opened in New York in February.

Another highlight is "We Were Always Here: Rick Bartow," a documentary short with Native American artist Bartow discussing his monumental sculpture by the same name which is prominently placed at the National Museum of the American Indian. Bartow, as well as other directors, producers, and actors, will appear at the festival.

This Native FilmFest by the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is an international cultural event as it brings Native and indigenous voices from various parts of the world. This year's fest will feature films from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Guatemala and Australia with two films from aboriginal directors. "This is probably one of the top five native film festivals in the world," says Michael Hammond, ACCM executive director. "Every year we see many of the same people who come; they come from all over. One couple comes all the way from Sweden."

But attendance is not the main barometer for the festival's success, according to Hammond. "I don't measure our success in terms of box office; it's an educational program. If we can make an impact, then we're successful."

Join this celebration of cultural diversity and interact with the filmmakers, actors, as well as other special guests at the Meet and Greet Tent each evening at 7 p.m. during the film fest.

Lydia Kremer is a Palm Springs freelance writer and long-time publicist. She can be reached at (760) 285-8047 or at 8LydiaLane@gmail.com

If You Go

What: Agua Caliente Cultural Museum's 14th Annual Native FilmFest

When: Various times March 3 –8

Where: Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs

Tickets: $10 (general admission), $7 (seniors, youth and active military), $50 (all-access pass) at CamelotTheatres.com

Info: AccMuseum.org