Indigenous Peoples Films at Sundance Festival

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Turtle Island Native Network reports that the 2011 Sundance Film Festival includes the screening of films by, and about
Indigenous Peoples. . . January 20-30 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.
http://www.sundance.org/festival

This year the Festival's Short Film Program includes the following Indigenous Shorts Showcase.

?E?anx (The Cave) / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Helen Haig-Brown [Tsilhqot'in]) - A hunter on horseback accidentally discovers a portal to the afterlife in this fantastical version of a true Tsilhqot'in story.

Choke / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Michelle Latimer [Metis]) - Upon leaving his First Nations reserve, Jimmy encounters the lost souls of the city and is reminded that no matter how far you travel, you cannot escape who you are.

Ebony Society / Aotearoa-New Zealand (Director and Screenwriter: Tammy Davis [Nga-ti Rangi and Atihaunui a Paparangi]) - One night out stealing; two boys learn a lesson.

Redemption / Aotearoa-New Zealand (Director: Katie Wolfe [Taranaki/Ngati Tama Ngati Mutunga]; Co-Screenwriters: Tim Balme, Renae Maihi [Nga Puhi/Ngati Hine, Te Arawa/Ngati Wakaue], and Katie Wolfe based on the short story by Phil Kawana [Ngaruahinerangi, Ngati Ruanui, Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Rangitane]) - A boy. A girl. A step too far.

The Rocket Boy / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Donavan Seschillie [Navajo Nation]) - A young boy's limitless imagination creates a dilemma between reality and dreams.

Stones / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Ty Sanga [Native Hawaiian]) - Set in the ancient times in the islands of Hawai'i, a forlorn woman living in isolation with her husband meets a child from a nearby village and contemplates whether she should bring her into her mystical world.

Wapawekka / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Danis Goulet [Metis]) - A final visit to their isolated cabin in northern Canada reveals the inter-generational rift between Josh and his traditional Cree father.

Sundance Institute's Native American and Indigenous Program
http://www.sundance.org/programs/native-lab-fellowship/

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Turtle Island Native Network congratulates an Aboriginal Canadian filmmaker - Director and Writer
honoured for her work at this year's Sundance Film Festival in Utah . . .

Michelle Latimer's "Choke" premiered this week
as part of the Indigenous Shorts Showcase (it received honorable mention in the best of the shorts awards)
download/file.php?id=102

michellelatimersundance.jpg (107.29 KiB) Viewed 3543 times

Choke / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Michelle Latimer [Métis])
- Upon leaving his First Nations reserve, Jimmy encounters the lost souls of the city and is reminded that no matter how far you travel, you cannot escape who you are.

VIDEO OF MICHELLE LATIMER DISCUSSING HER FILM AND ITS SUNDANCE PREMIERE:
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tQRbtY1aE0

Mobile-friendly Mp4: http://www.media.gov.on.ca/0be28312ba4f ... mobile.mp4

Link to Audio interview with Michelle Latimer:
http://pearlsnapdiscount.wordpress.com/ ... e-latimer/

SUNDANCE PICS FOR CHOKE:

http://press.sundance.org/32818?format=jpg&press=1
(Click on link for high resolution photo)


http://press.sundance.org/32819?format=jpg&press=1
(Click on link for high resolution photo)


http://press.sundance.org/32820?format=jpg&press=1
(Click on link for high resolution photo)


http://press.sundance.org/32821?format=jpg&press=1
(Click on link for high resolution photo)


http://press.sundance.org/32822?format=jpg&press=1
(Click on link for high resolution photo)

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A Native Fellow Goes Full Circle

Mar 10, 2011

Yolanda Cruz was a 2010 Sundance Institute Native Program Fellow and participated in the 2010 Native Lab and Creative Producing Summit. She recently participated in the 2011 January Screenwriters Lab with her project “La Raya” about 11-year-old Papio, who has his eyes set on emigrating to the U.S., but must decide if he is willing to leave behind his family and village. Below Yolanda describes her journey through the Sundance Institute Labs and how her new community triggered flashbacks of her family.


(Photo by Jill Orschel.)

I’ve never been a part of group therapy. In fact, last time I attempted to have a session with a therapist, I quickly left to seek the advice of a fortune-teller. When I learned that I would be attending the 2011 Screenwriters Lab at the Sundance Resort I was thrilled. However, when I talked to past Fellows I worried. They warned: “The Advisors reach deep, really deep into your emotions. Be ready to cry.” I began having flashbacks of film school—was I ready?

Then on January 14th, I was in a circle with talented people from around the world. The meeting began with welcoming words from Robert Redford, followed by a roundtable introduction. The room became filled with amazing stories and anecdotes by those present. When it was my turn I had no words, after a few seconds, I had an image of my mother in Oaxaca, Mexico refusing to give up her three old fridges…

My first one-on-one meeting started with questions like: “Where is your village? How many languages do they speak in Mexico? What about your father? What is your relationship with him?” I thought to myself, “Oh, no, the first cry is about to happen…I should have stuck with the therapist.” I pulled myself together and explained that my father was deceased and my story was based on Papio, a boy whose father immigrated to the U.S. and was being raised by women in a village. The conversation led me to discover that my story abounds with female characters, but they lack sensuality.

For the second meeting, the Advisor told me that though he had enjoyed reading the adventures of Papio trying to make money with an old fridge, he felt that some of his business deals were overdone and I needed to keep track of them. Once we figured out how to do this, we were left with the big question: Should Papio stay in the village or leave for the U.S.?

My next day’s Advisor was familiar with “La Raya” because we had worked together last May at the Sundance Institute’s Native Lab. We approached the new version by starting at the end and finding glitches as we worked back to the beginning. We were able to solve most of the problems by the end of the meeting.

During lunch I was very happy thinking that the script was nearly finished, but that did not last very long because by the afternoon, my fourth Advisor told me: “There is a huge a problem with the script!” She said that there were one too many characters, stories, and to top it off, the business transactions of this small village made it seem busier than Wall Street!

The following day, I expected the worst, but to my surprise the Advisor asked a few questions and then suggested: “Can we say that one of the main themes you are trying to convey is that community is better than individualism?” And that’s how we found the script’s main problem!

Lastly, for our graduation we returned to the welcoming room and sat in a circle. Despite having worked with all those people for a week, I was speechless again. This time it was because I couldn’t find the words to describe my gratitude and admiration for the generous community Sundance Institute has created; and how lucky was I to have been able to participate. So yes, if given the opportunity, I would do it again.