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41st Annual American Indian Film Festival kicks off November 4-11 in San Francisco

41st Annual American Indian Film Festival Kicks Off November 4-11 in San Francisco (PRNewsFoto/American Indian Film Institute)
41st Annual American Indian Film Festival Kicks Off November 4-11 in San Francisco (PRNewsFoto/American Indian Film Institute)

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — AIFI stands in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota and their thousands of native and non-native allies in the struggle to protect their waters and homelands against bio oil and the development of the Dakota Access Pipeline. This is the most recent of the ongoing struggles of indigenous peoples of this continent to protect and preserve their homelands and ways of life against colonial and capitalist interests. AIFI has presented these stories and many others of cultural affirmation, resistance and survival over the years and they will continue to be featured through the 41st Annual American Indian Film Festival, to be presented November 4-11 in San Francisco.

The public is invited to enjoy film screenings, appearances by filmmakers, actors and directors, Q&A sessions, and memorable entertainment during the 8-day event– capped by the American Indian Motion Picture Awards Show on November 11.

“The contemporary medium of cinema as a tool for a very ancient art – storytelling – has always been at the core of the American Indian Film Institute, and our festival,” notes AIFI founder and president, Michael Smith (Sioux). “As we move into our fifth decade, we’re more committed than ever to spotlight and share these vital stories – films, by, for and about American Indian and First Nations peoples – with all communities. This is the best of Native cinema, and we’re excited to celebrate the 41st annual American Indian Film Festival with our filmmakers, entertainers and audiences.”

The AMC Van Ness 14 theaters (1000 Van Ness Ave.), is the venue for the festival’s line-up of live short, animation, documentary and feature films, plus public service and music videos, and youth films from AIFI’s Tribal Touring Program.

The full schedule of 13 film programs, with both matinee and evening screenings, is available online at: http://www.aifisf.com/film-schedule

Notable films of AIFF 41 include:

November 4: The Saver, an 88-minute feature film starring Imajyn Cardinal directed by Wiebke von Carolsfeld

November 5: The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women epidemic of North America is spotlighted in recording artist Crystal Shawanda’s Pray Sister Pray,a music video directed by Joseph Osawabine; followed by the short: Sister, Daughter, directed by Nathaniel Arcand (Into The West; Blackstone) and the feature On the Farm starring Elle-Maija Tailfeathers

November 7: Fractured Land, a documentary feature directed by Fiona Rayher and Damien Gillis

November 8: Lisa D. Olken and Larry Pourier’s documentary feature, Red Power Energy, along with The Northlander, a 98-minute feature film directed by Benjamin R. Hayden, and starring Roseanne Supernault, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black-Antelope, Corey Sevierand Nathaniel Arcand.

November 9: A 97-minute feature Before the Streets/Avant Les Rues, starring Rykko Bellemare, Kwena Bellemare-Boivin, Jacques Newashish, Janis Ottawa, Martin Dubreuil and Normand Daoust

November 10: AIFF41’s Closing Film Program wraps with producer-recording artist Robby Romero’s music video, “Earth Revolution” featuring UN youth ambassador Ta’Kaiya Blaney; Kyle Bell’s behind-the-scenes look at the epic art of Steven Paul Judd; followed by the feature film Te Ata, starring Q’Orianka Kilcher (The New World), acclaimed Oneida actor Graham Greene (The Green Mile, Dances With Wolves, Die Hard With A Vengeance), and Comanche actor Gil Birmingham (Twilight, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Rango;and the recent Hell or High Water), alongside Academy Award-winner, Jeff Bridges.

AIFI’s American Indian Motion Picture Awards Show starts at 7 pm (doors open at 6 pm) on November 11, at the Fillmore Heritage Center (formerly Yoshi’s), 1310 Fillmore Street, San Francisco. The show will be co-hosted by Metis-Cree actress Roseanne Supernault(Rhymes For Young Ghouls; Maina; Blackstone), and Tlingit, Koyukon-Athabascan actor Martin Sensmeier (The Magnificent Seven, Longmire), and features live entertainment from Twice As Good (a father and son duo from the Pomo Tribe); Hard Rock Records recording artist Spencer Battiest (Seminole Nation of Florida) along with his brother Zachary aka Doc; Ta’Kaiya Blaney, accompanied by Robbie Romero; and the Navajo comedy duo James & Ernie. The American Indian Motion Picture Awards Show includes presentations for Best Film, Best Music Video, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Documentary, and many more.

Kiowa-Choctaw creative force, Steven Paul Judd returns as AIFF 41’s Official Festival Artist. Judd’s poster, “Endeavour to Persevere,” is an homage to film dialogue spoken by the late, legendary First Nations actor and leader, Chief Dan George, in the iconic Western, The Outlaw Josey Wales. The unforgettable Chief Dan George was the inspiration for the creation of the American Indian Film Festival®.Catch a glimpse of Judd’s amazing, art-filled life, in the documentary short film, Dig It If You Can, directed by Kyle Bell.

The 41st annual American Indian Film Festival® is sponsored by: Comcast NBCUniversal, Jackson Rancheria CA, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe WA, Comcast Streampix; Media Partners: Chickasaw Nation Oklahoma, National Indian Gaming Association, CBS NY, Tulalip Tribes WA; Venue Sponsor: AMC Van Ness 14; Foundation Partners: The San Francisco Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, George Lucas Family Foundation; and the San Francisco Grants for the Arts.

The American Indian Film Festival® is open to the general public-at-large; and invites all- communities to celebrate November American Indian Heritage Month.

Advance tickets for the film festival and awards show are available thru aifisf.com.

http://aifisf.com/

https://www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/san-francisco/amc-van-ness-14

http://www.thefillmoredistrict.com/lmac_pages/comm_jazzheritage.htm

Chris Hemsworth’s apology is amazing—here’s why

Photo: Chris Hemsworth/Instagram
Photo: Chris Hemsworth/Instagram

Chris Hemsworth plays a Marvel superhero on screen, and on the regular, he lives out a rather superheroic life by making children’s dreams come true. But with his latest tweet, he’s ascended even further into superhero status by actually doing what many people seem incapable of doing–actually apologizing for being racially and culturally insensitive.

Recently, Hemsworth tweeted out his support of those against the North Dakota pipeline. In his statement of support, he also gave a heartfelt apology for a picture from a New Year’s Eve party he and his wife held last year. We saw that picture, and naturally, people felt upset, and rightly so. Dressing up as Native stereotypes isn’t cool. This year, we see Hemsworth is a new outlook on his actions.

Standing with those who are fighting to protect their sacred land and water. #nodapl #waterislife #mniwiconi @taikawaititi I would also like to take this opportunity to raise something that has been bothering me for sometime. Last New Year’s Eve I was at a “Lone Ranger” themed party where some of us, myself included, wore the traditional dress of First Nations people. I was stupidly unaware of the offence this may have caused and the sensitivity around this issue. I sincerely and unreservedly apologise to all First Nations people for this thoughtless action. I now appreciate that there is a great need for a deeper understanding of the complex and extensive issues facing indigenous communities. I hope that in highlighting my own ignorance I can help in some small way.

A photo posted by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) on

“Standing with those who are fighting to protect their sacred land and water. #nodapl #waterislife#mniwiconi @taikawaititiI would also like to take this opportunity to raise something that has been bothering me for sometime. Last New Year’s Eve I was at a “Lone Ranger” themed party where some of us, myself included, wore the traditional dress of First Nations people. I was stupidly unaware of the offence this may have caused and the sensitivity around this issue. I sincerely and unreservedly apologise to all First Nations people for this thoughtless action. I now appreciate that there is a great need for a deeper understanding of the complex and extensive issues facing indigenous communities. I hope that in highlighting my own ignorance I can help in some small way.”

Related post: Three Reasons Why You Should Care About the North Dakota Pipeline Fight

If we take a cynical approach, we could easily say, “Well, clearly he’s apologizing because the director of his Thor: Ragnarok is an indigenous person.” But, isn’t interacting with people how others learn about their ignorances in the first place?

The whole point of multiculturalism is to learn more about each other and how we can better ourselves. We’ve all come into contact with some limited aspects of ourselves that become broadened when we interact with people with different life experiences and cultures different from our own. I know I’ve had that happen to me before. Many people are afraid to experience other cultures because, as we are vulnerable creatures, we are afraid of being wrong. It takes a big person to actually apologize for ignorance, and it takes a smart person to know what they’re apologizing for. For that, I commend Hemsworth for doing so.

He didn’t just put out a B.S. apology like some out there have done in the past (insert name of who you think fits in this space now—you’ve got a lot to choose from). He put out an apology that reads as sincere and thought-out, particularly when he wrote that this issue had been “bothering [him] for some time.” He’s had a lot of time to process this, and while his apology might not have come as quickly as we as a collective might like, it’s better that it came from him when he had an understanding of the issues.

Now, can more people decide to think outside of their minds and apologize for things they’ve done wrong? Can more people follow Hemsworth’s example? If so, that’d be great.

What do you think about Hemsworth’s apology? Give your opinions in the comments section below!