Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, shown in 2002.
Goodnight Irene, shown in 2005 and 2008.
Memere Metisse/My Metis Grandmother, shown in 2009.
was significant, perhaps because as Jacquelyn Kilpatrick says in her book, Celluloid Indians: Native Americans and Film, it is a work “that privileges the Native audience in the way that Hollywood films have privileged the mainstream audiences from the beginning of film his- tory.” It positioned the inaugural showcase as an empowering outlet for the art of Native film. Since then, more than 800 films of varying lengths have been
screened at the Showcase. In recognition of this accomplishment, the program for the 15th
anniversary year will serve as a retrospective of
many of the most celebrated selections shown over the years. It will span the hemisphere. “There are so many films we could include that had great audience
responses or that we feel will expose viewers to new perspectives. One beautiful piece of Native cinema that will be shown is Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner [2001] directed by Zacharias Kunuk [Inuit]. We try to program films that embrace the artistry which the audiences who come to the showcase will appreciate,” Benitez says. As the event has grown, it has become a venue not only for edu-
cation through film, but also for Native activism. Panel discussions often feature debates on current issues, bringing in such notables as the late Russell Means (Oglala Lakota). This has created what Benitez calls “a living history” for those who come to these discussions.
50 AMERICAN INDIAN SUMMER 2015
Beyond the retrospective, new selections will also be included, such
as Blackhorse Lowe’s latest feature film, Chasing the Light (2015). It’s a film that Lowe, in a recent Navajo Times article, describes as “straight- up reality…depression, heartache, drugs, friends, and it’s a comedy, because all the funniest things are always the darkest.” The showcase takes place at the New Mexico History Museum in
the heart of Santa Fe. It is a short walk from the Indian Market, easily accessible to those in attendance. Since moving to the museum, the Showcase has seen its audiences grow dramatically. At another venue, the nearby Santa Fe Railyard, audiences can spread out a blanket and enjoy family-friendly selections outdoors. Benitez considers the Showcase an opportunity for the Film +
Video Center to show its work outside of the Museum and demon- strate its curatorial breadth. She says, “Within the past 15 years, the program has been an outlet
for us to push our creative boundaries and reach both Native and non- Native audiences with the message that film is a powerful, contempo- rary component of how the Museum accomplishes its mission.” This year’s Native Cinema Showcase runs Aug. 17-23. Film selec-
tions may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, visit
nmai.si.edu. X Joshua Stevens is the public affairs specialist for the National Museum of the American Indian.
PHOTO COURTESY OF INDION ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
MH COUSINEAU © IGLOOIK ISUMA PRODUCTIONS
PHOTO COURTESY OF WINNIPEG FILM GROUP
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