International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management – Virtual Events

Indigenous Film & Arts Festival: Places of Memory short films: Kapaemahu, Director Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu (Kānaka Maoli). This animation brings to life the story of four extraordinary mahu (two-spirit individuals) who brought healing arts from Tahiti to Hawai’i. Stoerre Vaerie (Northern Great Mountain), Director Amanda Kernell (Sámi, Swedish). Elle has spent her entire adult life claiming she is Swedish from the South. Now, at age 78, she is pressured by her son to return to her Sámi homeland up North for…

The International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management, Denver American Indian Commission and Denver Museum of Nature & Science is pleased to present an evening with Haudenosaunee filmmaker Terry Jones. An enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians, located in western New York State, Terry has a passion for sharing his Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) history and culture through his film works. He strives to find a balance between entertaining and educating his audiences. Please join us to watch some of Terry’s…

The International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management and the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology are pleased to present a virtual art exhibit, Places of Memory. Please browse the exhibit online, and join Indigenous Film on July 21st at 7:00 p.m. (MDT) for an Artist's Talk by Gregg Deal. The live talk is free, but you will need to RSVP to get the Zoom link. Program details are printed below. Thanks to the generous support of our Sponsors, all of…

The International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management, Denver American Indian Commission and Denver Museum of Nature & Science are pleased to present a virtual edition of our monthly Indigenous Film Series. Please join us on August 11th at 7:00 p.m. (MDT) for the short film The Last 'Opelu Man, followed by a live Zoom discussion/Q&A with Uncle Chuck Leslie, featured in the film. Program details are printed below. You will need to RSVP to get the Zoom link. Thanks to…

Stonehenge has captured our imagination for hundreds of years and puzzled scientists for generations, yet even when its meaning puzzled us, we knew this massive, constructed monument signified something. But what about boulders and monoliths in a natural landscape? What is their significance to the indigenous peoples of the place? And what are the consequences when a stone is taken as a trophy to a foreign place, putting the landscape out of balance? Karlu Karlu: Devil’s Marbles (Director David Trantor,…

Film and live Zoom discussion/Q&A NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara, directors Mahanga Pihama and Cameron Bennett. Created and presented by award-winning journalist Mihingaarangi Forbes, the film documents the epic battle for control over the fertile lands of Taranaki, which started in Waitara and raged across the region for over two decades. Through oral histories, state-of-the-art animations and dramatic reenactments, this documentary brings to life the narratives of Te Ātiawa in their fight against the military might of the British Empire.…

Film screenings at the 2021 Indigenous Film & Arts Festival will be virtual. There will be four evenings of film from October through December 2021. Please join IIIRM on November 10 for the 'Ola Ka Honua - Earth Lives (trailer), followed by a live discussion/Q&A with Dr. Arthur Medeiros, Program Manager of the Auwahi Forest Reforestation Project. The event is free, but RSVP is required to get the links. Thanks to the generous support of our Sponsors, all of our…

From Earth to Sky (director Ron Chapman) presents the works of seven Indigenous architects from North America. While each has their own unique style, they share similar philosophies and approaches to culturally responsive architecture and sustainable design – consulting with communities to design and construct buildings and landscapes that embrace the culture and traditions of their clients, their connections to the land, imbued with a sense of their history and their visions for the future. “To me, the real test…

Keepers of the Corn (Los Guardianes del Maíz) Film On-Demand (January 7th-13th) Live Zoom Discussion/Q&A January 12th, 7:00 - 8:15 pm (MDT) RSVP for film and Discussion links Keepers of the Corn/Los Guardianes del Maíz (director Gustavo Vazquez) presents the story of native corn told by the indigenous farmers, artisans and cooks in Mexico whose ancestors shepherded the ever-evolving seeds from the dawn of agriculture into the 21st Century – a story of collective labor spanning more than 350 generations.…

The guitar is arguably the world’s most popular instrument, the instrument that “rocked the world.” But do you know about the sound that rocked Hawai’i, and then influenced musical genres around the world? Join us for an evening with Alan Akaka as he takes us on a musical tour of Hawai’i’s most iconic sound: Hawaiian steel guitar. View a few short films about the history of the steel guitar, and then Akaka, a renowned Hawaiian steel guitarist, and educator will…

The International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management, Denver American Indian Commission, and Denver Museum of Nature & Science are pleased to present a virtual edition of their monthly Indigenous Film Series. This series of animated indigenous stories, each narrated in its original language, is designed to promote pride, respect, and use of the indigenous languages of Mexico. Upon completion, the project will include an animation for each of the 68 language families in Mexico. Our program will screen the most…

This is a two-part program. Watch the film on demand May 9-12 on Vimeo, then join us for the live Zoom discussion on May 11. The link to the film will be posted on May 9. "Amá (Mother)" from director Lorna Tucker, tells the little-known story of abuses perpetrated against American Indian women by the United States government during the 1960s and 70s. This documentary presents an overview of federal Indian policy, eventually leading up to the dark chapter of…

Watch the film “Teachings of the Tree People” before the event. The film is available on-demand Aug. 8, 12 p.m.-Aug. 11, 12 p.m. The link to the film be published and shared on Aug. 8 at 12 p.m. “Teachings of the Tree People”, from Director Katie Jennings, is a beautifully produced tribute to the life and work of Skokomish elder Gerald Bruce Miller (subiyay), a nationally prominent cultural leader and teacher who brought his talents home to lead a cultural…

"Blackbird" is a narrative drama from Amie Batalibasi, an Australian of Solomon Island descent (Feralimae/Kosi). Set in the late 1800s, it follows the story of Solomon Islander siblings Kiko, age 16, and Rosa, age 24, kidnapped from their Pacific island home and forced to work on a sugar cane plantation in Queensland, Australia in a practice known as blackbirding. Shot entirely on location and in collaboration with communities in Mackay, Queensland, where these historical events took place, Blackbird presents a…

Please join us for a virtual program featuring short films and artwork by Alan Syliboy (Mi’kmaq). We will begin the program with two short animations: Little Thunder, a traditional Mi’kmaq story, and Wolverine and Little Thunder: An Eel Fishing Adventure, a modern tale. Following the films, Alan will join us via Zoom to share images of some of his artwork, and to lead a live discussion/Q&A. Alan will share his stories about becoming an artist, his use of ancient petroglyph…

Please join Indigenous Film for a virtual program featuring three short films followed by a live Zoom conversation with the filmmakers. "Onyionhwentsïio' (Our Wonderful Land)," director Nicolas Renaud (Huron-Wendat Frst Nation of Wendake). The story and drawings in this animation are based on archival photos from the late 19th to mid-20th century, featuring Wendat and Innu guides hired by private fish and game clubs; and includes a poem by Wendat writer Jean Sioui. What weighs on one’s back in a…

See a virtual screening of the short film “A Morning with Aroha” by director Nicholas Riini (Tūhoe). This morning, young Aroha, is on an early morning mission. She finds her creative outlet and with a little bit of magic brings her imaginary world to life, spreading joy to her friends, family, neighbors, classmates, and all who pass by. A story about the power of family, of art, and of aroha (love). (Illumi Ngati Media Ltd, 2022, 11 min.). This film…

Join Indigenous Film online and experience a range of Indigenous perspectives through four short films, followed by a live discussion with three of the films' directors. Audience can ask questions, share thoughts, and connect with the filmmakers. Svonni vs The Swedish Tax Agency (Director Maria Fredriksson). A Sámi woman tries to convince the Swedish Tax Agency she has a legitimate tax deduction for the purchase of a dog, while the Swedish authority refuses to accept that Rikke is a herding…

Nimeshkanaminan (Our Path), Directors Laura Fontaine and Yasmine Fontaine (Innu). Two young Innu women take up the old portage trails of the past to revive the identity of their Nation; a tribute to the Elders, the territory and the Innu people. In French with English subtitles. (Wapikoni Mobile, 2022, 6 min.). The Trails Before Us, Director Fritz Bitsoie (Diné). This documentary follows Diné mountain biker Nigel James as he hosts the first Enduro race in the Navajo Nation. By revitalizing…

Mémère Métisse/My Métis Grandmother. Director Janelle Wookey (Métis). All her life, Cecile St. Amant concealed her Métis heritage. Now her granddaughter, filmmaker Janelle Wookey, lovingly leads her to a new way of thinking, letting us share the journey through her camera’s eye as she tries to coax Cecile not only to accept, but to take pride in her Métis heritage. The film presents an insightful exploration of contemporary pressures that can undermine cultural identity. (Janelle Wookey Productions, 2008, 30 min.)…

This compelling documentary follows the Choctaw women’s stickball team from the community of Standing Pine as they compete for their first championship in the World Series of Stickball in Mississippi. This inspiring story reveals the history of stickball – more than a sport, the ancient game is medicine, and part of Choctaw identity. The film provides a window into the importance of the game to the ladies who play for their ancestors and their communities. Following the film, please join…

The Journey of Tiak Hikiya Ohoyo, Director Mark D. Williams (Choctaw). This compelling documentary follows the Choctaw women’s stickball team from the community of Standing Pine as they compete for their first championship in the World Series of Stickball in Mississippi. This inspiring story reveals the history of stickball – more than a sport, the ancient game is medicine, and part of Choctaw identity. The film provides a window into the importance of the game to the ladies who play…

Please join Indigenous Film on September 13th for our virtual program of three Experimental Films: Communicating through Sound, Light & Dance followed by a live Discussion/Q&A with filmmakers, dancers, choreographers. Program details are printed below. Free, but RSVP is required to get the Zoom link. RSVP HERE Inter-Nation-All, directors Camille Poirier, Nicolás Aguirre. A montage of images, animation and dance choreographed by Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo (Mohawk), and featuring principal dancer Marshall Kahente Diabo, transports the viewer across continents and cultures.…

A Boy Called Piano – the Story of Fa’amoana John Luafutu, director Nina Nawalowalo. Arriving in Aotearoa as a young child in the 1950s, Fa’amoana was taken from his family and made a ward of the state when he was only 12, suffering abuse and neglect alongside other Pacific Islander and Maori children. Through interviews and dramatizations, this powerful documentary reveals Fa’amoana’s journey through state care, prison, gang membership, the impacts of these experiences on his identity and his family,…