Toronto — A new collaboration between Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program and Art House Convergence (AHC), a North American coalition of community-based, mission-driven movie theaters, was announced last night by Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program Director N. Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache) at the Toronto International Film Festival. The collaboration will bring six Indigenous short films from Sundance Institute Fellows to select AHC theaters in North America during November’s annual celebration of National Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month. EclairPlay will be offering all e-deliveries to any EclairPlay-equipped cinema that orders the series free of charge.
“We are thrilled to announce this new collaboration,” said Runningwater. “This endeavor fulfills an important goal of our program, which is the diversity, creativity and immense talent of emerging Indigenous filmmakers while providing entertainment and expanding awareness of Indigenous content for film audiences around the U.S.”
“Art House Convergence is incredibly excited about this partnership,” said Alison Kozberg, managing director, Art House Convergence. “Enhancing public access to important, contemporary work by Indigenous filmmakers is directly aligned with our commitment to supporting purposeful, creative film exhibition. Just as Bird Runningwater’s inspiring call to amplify Indigenous voices in our cinemas during a major panel at our 2019 annual conference laid the foundation for this partnership, we know that this program will contribute to ongoing public and curatorial engagement with Indigenous-made films.”
Since 1990, a Presidential Executive Order has declared November as National Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Organizations across the U.S. observe the month by hosting programs that showcase Indigenous histories, arts and cultures.
The six Indigenous Program-supported short films that will be screened throughout November at select AHC theaters include:
Birds in the Earth (11 minutes), Marja Helander (Sámi); Fainting Spells (10 minutes), Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk/Pechanga Band of Luiseño); Jáaji Approx. (8 minutes), Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk/Pechanga Band of Luiseño); My Father’s Tools (7 minutes), Heather Condo (Mi’gmaq); Throat Singing in Kangirsuk (4 minutes), Eva Kaukai (Inuit) and Manon Chamberland (Inuit), and Shinaab, Part II (8 minutes), Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr. (Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa Indians).
About Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program
The Indigenous Program champions Indigenous independent storytelling artists through residency Labs, Fellowships, public programming, and a year-round continuum of creative, financial, and tactical support. The Program conducts outreach and education to identify a new generation of Indigenous voices, connecting them
with opportunities to develop their storytelling projects, and bringing them and their work back to Indigenous lands. At its core, the Program seeks to inspire self-determination among Indigenous filmmakers and communities by centering Indigenous people in telling their own stories. The Sundance Institute Indigenous Program is supported by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Oneida Indian Nation, Surdna Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, SAGindie, New Zealand Film Commission, Indigenous Media Initiatives, Felix Culpa, Sarah Luther, Pacific Islanders in Communications, and Susan Shilliday. http://www.sundance.org/programs/indigenous-progra…
About Art House Convergence
Art House Convergence is an association dedicated to advancing excellence and sustainability in community-based, mission-driven media exhibition. Each year, the association’s annual conference, regional seminars and programs provide networking opportunities, educational resources and define best practices for hundreds of theaters and festivals with the goal of increasing the quantity and quality of art house cinemas in North America .. https://www.arthouseconvergence.org/
Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Sorry to Bother You, Eighth Grade, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, RBG, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Top of the Lake, Winter’s Bone, Dear White People, Brooklyn, Little Miss Sunshine, 20 Feet From Stardom, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, I’m Poppy, America to Me, Leimert Park, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
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