LOS ANGELES, CA. – November 3, 2017.  The 2017 Red Nation Film Festival, now in its 14th season, runs November 8-19. The Los Angeles-based competition announced its official competition winners in film and television including the Festival’s Awards Ceremony, Red is Green Carpet Events, Distribution Masterclass, Native Music Centerpiece, Media & Networking Symposium, Industry Mixers, Spotlight Exclusives, Two Spirit Series, Centerpiece, Native Coalitions Unite, Indigenous Women RISE Climate Change March and Native Youth Films for this year’s 12 day run. The Premier Showcase for Native Independent Film & Television.

The Festival theme NATIVES IN CHARGE OF THEIR NARRATIVE. Films submitted from USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Greenland, the Amazon, highlight the mission of inclusion for this years festival run. Festival’s alliance partners include Outfest, American Film Institute, USC School of Cinematic Arts Media Institute for Social Change, Slamdance, XLrator Media. Festival Sponsors Honest Engine Films, Film LA Inc.

The Festival’s RNCI Red Nation Awards ceremony will conclude this years festival on November 18 at Laemmle’s Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills CA. The Industry’s Biggest Night for American Indian & Indigenous Voices, cementing native image at the forefront of the industry, highlighting the very best of American Indian & Indigenous contributions in film, television, comedy, music and the arts.

A new Tribute Award was created this year in honor of  the late Chief Dan George, best known for “Little Big Man”  (1970), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Chief Dan George Award recipient goes to Faith Keeper Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, Onondaga Council of Chiefs, Haudenosaunee (Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy).

“As a proud member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Founder President of the 14th Red Nation Film Festival, we are honored to have our Opening Weekend Screening THE WOMEN IN THE SAND at the prestigious Linwood Dunn Theatre.” – Joanelle Romero (actor, award-winning director/producer)

Awards will be given in the following categories: Best Picture; Best Director; Outstanding Actor in the Leading Role; Outstanding Actress in the Leading Role; Outstanding Actor in Supporting Role; Outstanding Actress in Supporting Role; Outstanding Supporting Actor in TV Movie, Miniseries, Special, Comedy; Outstanding Supporting Actor in TV Movie, Miniseries, Special, Comedy; Best Documentary Film; Best Short; Live Short Subject & Animated Short; Lifetime Achievement Award.

Full list Tribute Awards recipients will be announced on November 14th for  The Brando Award; Edward R. Roybal Award; Edward Albert Jr. Award; The Courage Award; Environmental Award; American Indian Heritage Month Award.

The Festival screenings will be held at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Santa Monica, Awards Show Laemmle’s Ahrya Fine Arts in every Beverly Hills, Opening Weekend Screening at Linwood Dunn Theatre. Events will be held at USC School of Cinematic Arts Media Institute for Social Change, and Santa Monica Pier.

2017 Red Nation Film Festival Line-up:

Narrative Competition:

· “Wind River” Dir. Taylor Sheridan, USA, Festival Exclusive Screening
· “Lore” Dir. Brock Manwill | Christian Larsen, USA, Festival Exclusive Screening

Documentary Competition:

· “Spirit Game Pride of A Nation” Dir. Peter Baxter |  Peter Spirer, USA, Festival Exclusive Screening
· “I Stand The Guardians of the Water” Dir. Kyle Kauwika Harris, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “First Daughter and the Black Snake” Dir. Keri Pickett, USA, Festival Premiere
· “Veiled Lightning / Native Voltage” Dir. Jaima Chevalier, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “When They Awake” Dir. P.J. Marcellino and Hermon Farahi, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “The Women in the Sand” Dir. Steve Jarvis, USA, U.S. Premiere
· “Yasuni Man” Dir. Ryan Killackey, Amazon, U.S. Premiere

Shorts Competition:

· “Sasquatch’n” Dir. Kerry Sugiyama, USA, World Premiere
· “Buffalo Runner” Dir. Jesse DesRosier, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “The Last Walk” Dir. Anna Hoover | Jerri Thrasher | Johannes Lynge | Pipaluk Jorgensen , USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “Mikinakay Trail of the Turtle” Dir. Erica Daniels, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “Open Season” Dir. Jenna Cavelle, USA, Festival Exclusive Premiere
· “Amasani Grandmother” Dir. Stacy Howard, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “Swimming in the Desert” Dir. Alvaro Ron, USA, Festival Premiere
· “She is Water” Dir. Darlene Naponse, USA West Coast Premiere
· “Bayline” Dir. JJ Neepin, US Premiere
· “A Short History of Indians in Canada” Dir. Nancy Beiman, Canada, U.S. Premiere
· “Returning” Dir. Elizabeth LaPensee, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “Dreamweaver” Dir.Cheryl Briggs, USA, West Coast Premiere
· “Water Warriors” Dir. Michael Premo, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “No Reservations” Dir. Trevor Carroll, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “Shirtnami” Dir. Colton Willier, Canada, Los Angeles Premiere
· “Water is Life” Dir. Joseph Erb, Los AngelesPremiere

Television 

· “The Son” AMC Network

· “Longmire” Netflix  Network

Native Women in Film & Television Spotlight:
22 Films Directed by Women 

Caroline Papadimos – Welcome To Sápmi
Asia Youngman – Lelum
Carr Sappier –  Apotamkin
Dinae Robinson – How the Savage Came To Be
Darlene Naponse – She is Water
Sonya Ballantyne – Nososim
Stacy Howard – Amasani Grandmother
Elizabeth LaPensee – Returning
JJ Neepin – Bayline
Erica Daniels –  Mikinakay Trail of the Turtle
Elizabeth LaPensee – Hands to the Sky
Cheryl Briggs – Dreamweaver
Nancy Beiman – A Short History of Indians in Canada
Kerry Suqiyama  – Sasquatch’n
Jaima Chevalier – Veiled Lightning / Native Voltage
Anna Hoover | Jerri Thrasher | Johannes Lynge | Pipaluk Jorgensen – The Last Walk
Dianna Fuemana – Sunday Fun Day
Alexandra Dietz – Your Way Back To Me
Melinda Janko – 100 Year’s One Woman’s Fight For Justice
Keri Pickett – First Daughter and the Black Snake
Jenna Cavelle  – Open Season

Two-Spirited ‘LGBT’ Spotlight:

· “Your Way Back To Me” Dir.Alexandra Dietz, Canada, Los Angeles Premiere
· “Sunday Fun Day” Dir.Dianna Fuemana, USA, Los Angeles Premiere

Environmental Spotlight:

· “Stella Polaris Viloriarsuaq” Dir. Yatri N. Niehaus, Greenland,  Premiere
· “I Stand: The Guardians of the Water” Dir. Kyle Kauwika Harris, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “First Daughter and the Black Snake” Dir. Keri Pickett, USA, Festival Premiere
· “Water Warriors” Dir. Michael Premo, USA, Los Angeles Premiere
· “Yasuni Man” Dir. Ryan Killackey, Amazon, U.S. Premiere

Retrospective: 

· “The Girl Called Hatter Fox ” Dir. George Schaefer. First Contemporary Native Woman Story Produced 1977.

Native Youth Matter ‘Student Films’

· “Shirtnami” Dir. Colton Willier, Canada, Los Angeles Premiere

Events. Panels. Hot Topics

· “RNCI Red Nation Awards” The Entertainment Industry and Indian Country
Biggest Night for American Indian and Indigenous Voices
· “Red Nation Conversation Series Q &A with Filmmakers”
· “Native FILM Market” The Distribution Industry Masterclass
· “Native Women in Film & Television” 22 Films Directed by Women
· “Media Symposium” An evening with entertainment industry professionals as they discuss inclusion for the Native American community in film and media.
· “Indigenous Women RISE Climate Change March”

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About the Red Nation Film Festival

Founded in 2003 by Award Winner filmmaker, actor,  and a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, Joanelle Romero, Red Nation Film Festival™ (RNFF) The Authentic Voice of American Indian & Indigenous Cinema™ is dedicated to breaking the barrier of racism by successfully replacing American Indian stereotype with recognition, new vision, arts, culture and economic prosperity by placing American Indian Filmmakers at the forefront of the entertainment industry and to introduce American Indian Filmmakers to larger, global mainstream audiences while championing Native Women in Film & Television and giving voice and inspiring native youth with our dedicated program Native Youth Matter™ – If I Can See It I Can Be It.™

www.RedNationFF.com

CONTACT: Red Nation Media. Linda Tenequer. P 818.665.5753. E: rednation@rednation.com

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