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Lots New at Native American Festival by Tom Mayer
Poster for festival opener, a feature by Norry Niven and starring Graham Greene and SF resident Danny Glover. photo: courtesy N. Niven
THE 38th ANNUAL SF AMERICAN INDIAN Film Festival, sponsored by the American Indian Film Institute, kicks-off on Friday, Nov. 1 with “Chasing Shakespeare”, directed by Norry Niven and starring the masterful Indian actor Graham Greene. Told in a flashback, the story follows William Ward (Danny Glover) as he meets Venus (Tantoo Cardinal) from the Lightning clan.
“We are proud of our history as America’s oldest and most prestigious venue for American Indian and First Nation film,” says AIFI founder-president Michael Smith.
“With deep roots in the Bay Area, we look forward to this dynamic new chapter in American Indian Film Festival history.” Indeed, the festival will inaugurate two new festival locations: the Delancey Street Theater and the San Francisco Jazz Center.
The festival runs November 1 to 9 at the Delancey Street Theatre, 600 Embarcadero Blvd. in San Francisco and will conclude Sunday, November 10 at the San Francisco Jazz Center with its annual Motion Picture Awards.
Opening night will be followed by matinee and evening screenings on Nov. 2 and 3, with Charlie Soap’s “Cherokee Word for Water” and Cyril Morin’s “The Activist”, respectively.
The festival continues on Nov. 5 with Shirley Cheechoo’s “Moose River Crossing”; a special presentation of “Star Wars IV–A New Hope” in the Navajo language on Wednesday, November 6; director Anita Doron’s “The Lesser Blessed”, starring Benjamin Bratt will screen on November 7; “Winter in the Blood” from brothers Andrew and Alex Smith starring Chaske Spencer will screen Friday, Nov. 8; and the festival will close its screenings on November 9 with Michel Poulette’s “Maina” starring Roseanne Supernault and Tantoo Cardinal again.
On Sunday, AIFF 38 closes with the Awards Show at the San Francisco Jazz Center hosted by actor Michael Spears and actress Tonanztin Carmelo, a gala which features American Indian filmmakers, actors and entertainers as well as live music. Expected guests include Tantoo Cardinal, Roseanne Supernault, Kimberley Guerrero, Steve Reevis, Moses Brings Plenty, Gary Farmer, Saginaw Grant and Chaske Spencer.
Other highlights include Fern Orenstein, casting VP of CBS, conducting a workshop “Working One-on-One with Actors” on November 8 and the Film Distribution Panel on November 7, co-presented by California Lawyer for the Arts, and featuring director Andrew Smith and local luminary, director/writer Peter Bratt among others.Posted on Oct 24, 2013 - 09:48 PM