SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN
Film festival showcases Indigenous, independent talent
Santa Fe is known as a place that celebrates Indigenous creativity — and for the next few days, filmmaking and filmmakers will be in the spotlight.
The 15th year of the Santa Fe International Film Festival features a record number of Native writers, directors and producers. The festival opened Wednesday and runs through Sunday, with an impressive lineup of movies and short films. It’s quite a way to mark 15 years of this exceptional festival, named once again to the MovieMaker’s coveted list, 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.
On Saturday, Sterlin Harjo will receive the festival’s Visionary Award. He’s best known — for the moment, because his future is incredibly bright — as co-creator of the groundbreaking series Reservation Dogs, the funny and moving story of teenagers caught between high school and adulthood.
The FX series, set on an Oklahoma reservation, ended its three-season run this year but has changed television by focusing on Indigenous stories and actors in a refreshingly authentic manner. Viewers will not forget Cheese, Elora, Bear and Willie Jack, although they likely will debate over their favorite characters and episodes. If you haven’t watched, what a treat awaits.
As the Visionary Award honoree, Harjo is being lauded for his “exceptional talent and ingenuity in filmmaking” and will receive his award at the Lensic Performing Arts Center. The night features a discussion with actor Gary Farmer, Uncle Brownie on Reservation Dogs, and a showing of Harjo’s 90-minute documentary This May Be the Last Time. A member of the Seminole Tribe, Harjo believes Indigenous storytellers must own their power, writing on his website: “It’s not up to Hollywood to change Native representation in the media. They have failed at it for decades. It’s up to us — artists, filmmakers, storytellers and activists. That power is ours alone.” He is demonstrating how to take the power back.
This year’s film festival features a number of other examples in the festival’s Indigenous Film Program, sponsored this year by the Institute of American Indian Arts. On tap are eight feature films, two retrospectives from Harjo and 14 short films. Take time to scrutinize the film festival schedule and find the gems you want to see. Festivalgoers also can see Denmark’s 2024 Oscar entry, Closing Night: The Promised Land, or view Anatomy of a Fall, winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes earlier this year. First We Bombed New Mexico is having its world premiere at the festival, and it had a fourth showing added Sunday after three sold out. There’s a lot to take in during the festival’s run.
The festival also highlights the importance of Santa Fe as a place that loves movies, with a number of theaters hosting screenings and various panels on making movies. From the Violet Crown to the Jean Cocteau to the Lensic — and those are just some of the venues — Santa Fe film lovers have a selection of theaters, both during the festival and year round.
This is a town that loves movies: Witness the uproar from the community when the beloved CCA was on the chopping block. And yes, the CCA will be a festival site this year.
All in all, the next few days offer an excellent opportunity for all who appreciate creativity to sit back and enjoy. That’s what the Santa Fe International Film Festival has been serving up for 15 years. Here’s to the best festival yet.