34th Native American Film Festival in San Francisco (videos)

November 2, 9:13 AMBoston Cultural Events ExaminerWinchin Chala

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The Only Good Indian-Theatrical Poster-Courtesy of NAFF

The 34th Native American Film Festival will premiere over 80 innovative feature films, shorts, public service, music videos and documentaries of USA American Indian and Canada First Nation communities. Founded in 1975, AIFF has established itself as the premiere Native film festival in North America. This year’s selection continues to celebrate the Festival’s tradition for excellence and diversity with powerful performances and new cinematic expression by cutting-edge media makers. 

Public screenings and events will be held for nine days, from Nov. 6-11 at the Landmark Embarcadero Center Cinema for complete details go to http://www.aifisf.com

Nov. 12-14 at the Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon St. @ Bay Street.

“The film festival and awards show are the cornerstone of what we do — provide an opportunityand national venue for emerging and established filmmakers, entertainers and performing artists to convene, renew their artistic spirit and share their gifts." - Founder/ Director Michael Smith.

Opening the Festival on Nov. 6, is the feature documentary People of the Seal (72 min) – an indepth exploration into the insight and understanding of the Unangan (People of the Seal) who reside in the world’s harshest environment and whose culture is near extinction. People of the Seal is preceded by short film Tungijuq (7 min), a story about Inuit seal hunting which stars Inuit singer-artist, Tanya Tagaq and produced by award winning filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk (Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner). Closing the American Indian Film Festival on Nov. 13, is the dramatic feature film Barking Water (Special Segment on the Examiner)(81 min) directed by award- winning director and AIFF favorite Sterlin Harjo (Four Sheets to the Wind). The film traces the impromptu journey taken by estranged couple Frankie and Irene as they visit the stations of their fractured relationship and learn the meaning of coming home and what it takes to get there. Actors Casey Camp- Horinek and Richard Ray Whitman, in attendance for Q&A. 

Other Noteworthy Film Selections:

Nov. 7: * Pearl (117) dir. King Hollis- The true story of Pearl Carter Scott, a daring young Chickasaw girl who became the youngest licensed pilot in U.S. history. Befriended by the famous aviator Wiley Post in the late 1920’s, the adventurous twelve- year old Pearl was taught to fly. So trusting and close was her relationship with Post, she was one of the only two people to fly his well-known plane, the Winnie Mae. Pearl Carter Scott became one of the pioneering female aviators alongside Amelia Earhart. This film was funded by the Chickasaw Tribe of Oklahoma.

*Special screening of Peter Bratt’s (Follow Me Home) powerful second feature film La
MISSION (117min) Set in the colorful, seedy streets of the San Francisco district that bears itsname, La MISSION is a story of healing and transformation among father and son, in a multiethnic neighborhood struggling to break the chains of violence. This mesmerizing film is imbued with the curative power of Aztec tradition and stars Benjamin Bratt (The Cleaner). Preceding La MISSION is Given to Walk (35min) dir. Robert Guthrie, a gritty short film about domestic violence and the power to overcome abuse. * Peter Bratt ( La MISSION), Benjamin Bratt (La MISSION) and Robert Guthrie( Given to Walk) will be in attendance at the festival for a Q+A after their respective films and will be available for interviews.

Nov. 8: Jim Thorpe Spotlight – A cinematic look into 20th Century’s Greatest Athlete *Jim Thorpe, The World’s Greatest Athlete (60min) dir. Tom Weidlinger- Considered the finest athlete of the 20th century, Jim Thorpe was a US Olympic multiple gold medal winner as well as a star of professional football and baseball. He was man who used his amazing physical prowess as a way to affirm his American Indian identity in the face of unrelenting efforts to eradicate Native American culture. In this superb documentary—using old recordings, re-enactments, newsreels and animated photos—brings Thorpe's successful career alive. * JARIN- a fable By Jim, Knute, and Red (27min) dir. Myrton Running Wolf - Short film about a present-day tale about legendary Native American athlete Jim Thorpe (Sac-N-Fox) coming back from the past to teach a boy from the reservation on how to play football. * Bright Circle (90min) dir. Shawn Kakuk- At the turn of the 20th Century American Indian athletes from Carlisle, Haskell and the earlyNFL were at the forefront of the sporting world. This rich tradition, established in the past by athletes such as Jim Thorpe, is carried on today by the ancestors of those and other incredible athletes including interviewees Bret Favre (Choctaw) and Dan Hampton (Chickasaw) Chicago Bears Hall of Fame Inductee.

Nov. 10: * Lost Sparrow(78min) dir. Chris Billing - Three decades ago, two Crow Indian brothers ran away from home and no one knew why. Their sudden and mysterious deaths sent
shockwaves through a tiny upstate New York community. This is their adoptive brother’s journey to bring Bobby and Tyler home and confront a painful truth that shattered his family.

Nov. 11: * Kissed by Lightning (90min)dir. Shelley Niro - Set on Canada’s Six Nations Reserve, broken-hearted Mavis (Kateri Walker) tries to piece her life back together after the tragic death of her husband. In an attempt to hold on to a shred of her past, she invites her husband’s ex-wife and son to live in her home, while she is relegated to the backyard trailer. Alienating herself from the outside world, Mavis desperately clings to her profession of painting in an effort to extinguish the memories that haunt her. But when an upcoming art exhibition requires Mavis to embark on a road trip, she finds herself faced with the difficult task of letting go. Costarring Eric Schweig (The Big Eden). Co -Presented by the San Francisco Women’s Film Festival.

Nov. 12: * The Only Good Indian ( 113min) dir. Kevin Willmott - Set in Kansas during the early 1900s, a teenaged Native American boy (Winter Fox) is taken from his family and forced to attend a distant Indian "training" school to assimilate into White society. When he escapes to return his family, Sam Franklin (Wes Studi), a bounty hunter of Cherokee descent, is hired to find and return him to the institution. Franklin, a former Indian scout for the U.S. Army, has renounced his Native heritage and has adopted the White Man’s way of life, believing it's the only way for Indians to survive. Along the way, a tragic incident spurs Franklin’s longtime nemesis, the famous “Indian Fighter” Sheriff Henry McCoy (J. Kenneth Campbell), to pursue both Franklin and the boy. Director Kevin Willmott and actor Wes Studi, in attendance for Q&A.

A complete schedule is available on our website www.aifisf.com. All programs are open to thegeneral public and will require tickets for admission.

Advance Tickets available thru AIFI:

415-554-0525 Visa & Mastercard.

On-site tickets available at the following theater venues

(on day of show.)

Landmark Embarcadero Center Cinema Palace of Fine Arts

One Embarcadero Center, Promenade Level 3301 Lyon St.@ Bay St.

San Francisco,CA San Francisco, CA

Showtimes: Nov. 6- 11 Showtimes: Nov. 12-13

Matinees begin @ noon ($5) Evenings begin @ 7:00pm ($10/8)

*Box Office matinee tickets are available at Nov. 14 : Motion Picture Awards

11:00am Show begin @6:00pm

Evenings begin @ 7:00pm Awards Show tickets are available

*Box Office evening tickets are available at 5:00pm @ Box Office

(Opening Night $10) ($20door/$15adv./$15 students &

Evenings ($7 students & seniors /$8 general) seniors)

. Prominent Sponsors of the 2009 AIFI Festival are; The Seminole Tribe of Florida; Yocha De- He Wintun Nation, CA; National Education Association; San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, CA; CBS Television , NY; Ak-Chin Indian Community, AZ; KQED TV9; and Grants for the Arts.