Film still from Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment (2025).
Film | Centerpiece: Native Stories
Presented in partnership with New York International Children’s Film Festival
March 15, 2 pm - 3:30 pm
Witty, moving, and forward-looking Native and Indigenous stories! Join us for a screening of 10 short stories that blend the past, present, and future to take a look at the varied lives of young Native and Indigenous people as they live them today.
Free and open to all. Recommended ages 8+. Advance registration is recommended. Limited spaces will be available at the door.
Films in this Program:
Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment
Colombia — East Coast Premiere
Live Action, Irati Dojura Landa Yagarí (Emberá Chamí), 2025, 14 min
In Emberá Chamí with English subtitles
Kari, is afraid to laugh until she meets Kera, who shares with her the myth of Kiraparamia, a woman punished by the gods for laughing at her husband.
Cleaning’s a Cakewalk
United States — New York City Premiere
Live Action, Ryan Begay (Diné), 2024, 20 min
In Navajo with English subtitles
Independent and imaginative Albert learns the value of hard work when he has to clean the Chapter House.
Pow!
United States
Animation, Joey Clift (Cowlitz), 2025, 8 min
In English
A Native American kid scrambles to charge his dying video game console at a bustling intertribal powwow.
Legend of Fry-Roti: Rise of Dough
United States — New York Premiere
Live Action, Sabrina Saleha (Navajo, Bengali), 2025, 9 min
In English and Navajo with English subtitles
A niece must find harmony when her aunties burst into an epic showdown: frybread vs. roti.
Evening Escapades
Canada — US Premiere
Animation, Darcy Tara McDiarmid & Chantal Rousseau (Hän, Northern Tutchone), 2024, 4 min
In English
An adventurous rabbit encounters mischievous animals as he navigates a midnight mushroom garden.
Finding Light in the Dark: a Coming of Age Story
Canada — World Premiere
Live Action, Documentary, Haylie Jerome (Anishnaabe), 2024, 4 min
In English
Sixteen-year-old Kiewanna is caught between childhood nostalgia and the growing responsibilities of adolescence.
Freddy
Canada
Animation, Brad Mestenapéo (Innu), 2023, 3 min
No dialogue
Freddy’s exciting adventure of magic and friendship.
Ni Wapiten
Canada — New York Premiere
Live Action, Documentary, Noémie Echaquan & Julie Ottawa (Atikamekw), 2023, 3 min
In Atikamekw with English subtitles
There’s more nature than you’d think at the community garbage dump.
Tule
United States — US Premiere
Animation, Jocelyn Garcia (Pomo/Mexican American), 2024, 4 min
In English
A modern Pomo girl reflects on the culturally vital, but now suffering tule plant at Clear Lake in Northern California.
Tentsítewahkwe (We Pick It Up Again)
United States
Live Action, Documentary, Katsitsionni Fox, 2024, 17 min
In English and Kanienkéha (Mohawk)
Embodying the Mohawk value of Tentsítewahkwe, Jessica Shenandoah goes on a knowledge-gathering journey across all four seasons to reinvigorate the healing, land-based practices of her ancestral grandmothers.
Film | Centerpiece: Native Stories
Presented in partnership with New York International Children’s Film Festival
March 15, 2 pm - 3:30 pm
Witty, moving, and forward-looking Native and Indigenous stories! Join us for a screening of 10 short stories that blend the past, present, and future to take a look at the varied lives of young Native and Indigenous people as they live them today.
Free and open to all. Recommended ages 8+. Advance registration is recommended. Limited spaces will be available at the door.
Films in this Program:
Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment
Colombia — East Coast Premiere
Live Action, Irati Dojura Landa Yagarí (Emberá Chamí), 2025, 14 min
In Emberá Chamí with English subtitles
Kari, is afraid to laugh until she meets Kera, who shares with her the myth of Kiraparamia, a woman punished by the gods for laughing at her husband.
Cleaning’s a Cakewalk
United States — New York City Premiere
Live Action, Ryan Begay (Diné), 2024, 20 min
In Navajo with English subtitles
Independent and imaginative Albert learns the value of hard work when he has to clean the Chapter House.
Pow!
United States
Animation, Joey Clift (Cowlitz), 2025, 8 min
In English
A Native American kid scrambles to charge his dying video game console at a bustling intertribal powwow.
Legend of Fry-Roti: Rise of Dough
United States — New York Premiere
Live Action, Sabrina Saleha (Navajo, Bengali), 2025, 9 min
In English and Navajo with English subtitles
A niece must find harmony when her aunties burst into an epic showdown: frybread vs. roti.
Evening Escapades
Canada — US Premiere
Animation, Darcy Tara McDiarmid & Chantal Rousseau (Hän, Northern Tutchone), 2024, 4 min
In English
An adventurous rabbit encounters mischievous animals as he navigates a midnight mushroom garden.
Finding Light in the Dark: a Coming of Age Story
Canada — World Premiere
Live Action, Documentary, Haylie Jerome (Anishnaabe), 2024, 4 min
In English
Sixteen-year-old Kiewanna is caught between childhood nostalgia and the growing responsibilities of adolescence.
Freddy
Canada
Animation, Brad Mestenapéo (Innu), 2023, 3 min
No dialogue
Freddy’s exciting adventure of magic and friendship.
Ni Wapiten
Canada — New York Premiere
Live Action, Documentary, Noémie Echaquan & Julie Ottawa (Atikamekw), 2023, 3 min
In Atikamekw with English subtitles
There’s more nature than you’d think at the community garbage dump.
Tule
United States — US Premiere
Animation, Jocelyn Garcia (Pomo/Mexican American), 2024, 4 min
In English
A modern Pomo girl reflects on the culturally vital, but now suffering tule plant at Clear Lake in Northern California.
Tentsítewahkwe (We Pick It Up Again)
United States
Live Action, Documentary, Katsitsionni Fox, 2024, 17 min
In English and Kanienkéha (Mohawk)
Embodying the Mohawk value of Tentsítewahkwe, Jessica Shenandoah goes on a knowledge-gathering journey across all four seasons to reinvigorate the healing, land-based practices of her ancestral grandmothers.
