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DECEMBER 6, 2000

Aspiring Native filmmakers will get their shot at the big time come January at the Sundance Film Festival, hoping to capitalize on the festival's prestigious reputation.

The festival, held every year in Park City, Utah, is known for making stars out of previously unknown writers and directors. In 1998, writer Sherman Alexie captured the international spotlight with "Smoke Signals," which went on to win two awards at the festival and eventually gained widespread critical and popular acclaim.

"I sometimes get people leaving messages on my answering machine saying 'Heyyyyyy Victor,'" said Sherman Alexie, referring to the words of one of the film's eccentric but lovable characters.

Achieving success isn't always easy, as other Native filmmakers have discovered, however. "Naturally Native," a film about the business goals of three sisters, also premiered at Sundance in 1998. But its co-director and writer, Valerie Red-Horse, said she had difficulty getting her film distributed and it finally began appearing in theatres late last year.

Still, Sundance can provide major opportunities to filmmakers. Chris Eyre, the director of "Smoke Signals," might hope to repeat some of his earlier Sundance success as he returns to the festival as producer of "Doe Boy," written and directed by Randy Redroad, an Ojibwe filmmaker. The movie centers on a half-Cherokee boy, a hemophiliac living in a culture obsessed with blood quantum and blood identity.

Also returning to the festival is the "Native" section of Sundance. This year, 11 films have been accepted in the Native Forum.

Included among the group is "Alcatraz Is Not An Island," a documentary about the two-year occupation of Alcatraz Island by Native American activists. The film won the Best Documentary Feature Award at the American Indian Film Festival in 1999

The festival takes place from January 18 through 28, 2001.

Learn about the other Films:
Films accepted in Sundance Native Forum (Arts and Entertainment 12/6)

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Relevant Links:
The 2001 Sundance Film Festival - 209.85.89.23/reg/index.html
The Sundance Institute - www.sundance.org
Sherman Alexie - www.fallsapart.com
Naturally Native - www.naturallynative.com
Alcatraz Is Not An Island - www.turtle-island.com/docu.html
Native Actors Database - www.spiderandi.com/nadb/nadb.htm
NativeCelebs - www.nativecelebs.com