The 2004 Sundance Film Festival has selected 16 films to screen as part of its Native Forum, designed to showcase the innovations of indigenous filmmaking from the U.S, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

The 10th annual forum presents a mix of feature-length, short, and documentary films from established and first-time filmmakers. Selections come from well-known directors Alanis Obomsawin, Sherman Alexie, Shirley Cheechoo, and Shelley Niro as well as up-and-coming Vilsoni Hereniko, Joseph Lazare, Zoe Leigh Hopkins, Blackhorse Lowe, Cedar Sherbert, and Taika Waititi.

"This year's Native Forum showcases an impressive array of voices that make up Native Cinema. Extending from a strong history of artistic expression and storytelling, these films offer daring uses of short, documentary, and dramatic filmmaking. With previously untapped stories of humor, dignity, tragedy, and grace, the Native Forum filmmakers represent a community that extends globally," said N. Bird Runningwater, Sundance Institute Native American Initiative Programmer.

Also, the Sundance Festival will world premiere a new film by Chris Eyre of "Smoke Signals" fame. "Edge of America" will be screened on January 16 in Salt Lake City.

The 2004 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 15-25 with screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance, Utah.

A list of the Native Forum selections can be found at http://movies.yahoo.com/movies/feature/sffnative.html.

Relevant Links:
Sundance Film Festival - http://www.sundance.org