Path Less Traveled Native Film Series 2008
By Ernest M. Whiteman III
As another year comes to an end, so does another film festival. As always, we here at the First Nations Film
and Video Festival have so many people to thank for their assistance in putting on this year’s “Path Less
Traveled” Native Film Series and making it the success it has been. Without these all great folks, we would
not have been able to take our first steps on the path towards Native American self-representation and
promote Native American first-voice in media.
First, we have to thank our venues this year, beginning with the Illinois State Museum – Chicago Gallery and
Jane Stevens, Associate Curator of the Chicago Gallery for all of her support of the FNFVF through the years
and for serving as a venue for the last few years. The ISM Chicago Gallery has always been a great place to
kick off the festival. The support staff there also deserves our thanks. They have shown great enthusiasm
for the FNFVF.
This year, we started the series in the Chicago Gallery’s open space and we were able to draw up to twenty-
five people a day throughout the days. People came in were drawn by our media blast, others were patrons
of the gallery, while more simply walked in and found us. It was another good year there.
Next, we must thank John Lowe and the staff of the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian. I especially
want to thank the young lady who provided me with the much-needed snack (a cookie) and whose name
escapes me now (Sorry!) Also, thanks to the Mitchell Board members who showed up and participated.
Again, we had a good, interested crowd at Mitchell. It always starts off small at the first venues, it makes me
nervous, but as the program progresses the crowds show up, the people arrive, like that old movie cliché;
“if you build it, they will come”. And they do. We are making some steps, some progress. We had an
audience of over 20 people. That was a good day. Thanks again to the Mitchell Museum and their beautiful
wide screen TV.
One of the pleasures of running the film festival is gaining new venues, a new chance to reach a new
audience or community. I have to thank Dorene Wiese and the American Indian Association of Illinois. AIAI is
a new venue with connections to our Native community in the north side of Chicago, and a venue that will
remain with the FNFVF in the coming years, I hope.
I always get nervous interacting with the Native community. I honestly am not very close to the Native
community here in Chicago. For no other reason than that I am not a very outgoing person. But the Native
community is always welcoming and generous. I have made many friends within the Native community. They
continue to be kind to a huge, too-quiet lug such as myself.
I want to thank Jolene Aleck and Sharon Horton for showing up to the screening at AIAI as well. Jolene is
my co-worker at my new job and is fast becoming a joy to work with. Sharon, as most of you know, is a
FNFVF Member-at-large. She offers her assistance continually but I never seem to find things for her to do.
Plus, she is my oldest friend here in Chicago, and it is always special to see her. She charms me.
Thanks are also due to Julia Spaulding and her staff there at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The
FNFVF has been screening at the DMN&S for the last three years mostly due to both Julia’s and Isabel
Tovar's efforts. We ask and they do their best to provide. The food and the company they provided that
evening was elixir to the so-very-tired traveler that showed up that night.
At the DMN&S, I did things rather differently. The screening fell on my father’s birthday and he had been on
my mind the whole month. Actually, there is not-never a time I do not think of my dad and mom. I miss
them greatly, but I was missing my father mightily that night. So, I pulled some notes together and spoke
openly about him. It fit in with the feature we screened as well. I miss him still. I miss them both, still.
The crowds at DMN&S have been great these last three years. Our first year there we had over 50 people
show up, the next we had close to 100, this year we had around 70. There is a good, strong Native
community there and the people are used to interacting with Natives has shown me that we can make these
leaps into representing ourselves, that in some circles of the non-Native world, they are hungry for it and
interested in it. Also, as always, being that close to the Rocky Mountains in the original lands of the
Northern Arapaho, always make me feel secure.
Thanks must go out to Judith Blackburn and the Beverly Arts Center, they always are ready to go no matter
when I ask them to participate. Judith’s enthusiasm for movies knows no bounds. Her energy seems to
power the BAC whenever I am there. While the tradition of bad weather once again reared its’ head, it was a
good night at the Beverly Arts Center.
Several people braved the icy weather to view the movie and were treated to the usual diatribe by yours
truly. They understood what the festival is about. One patron even told me that she attended all three years
the fest has been there. And thanks again Judith for the lift home.
Again, a new venue graced our festival. Many thanks go to Lee Hansen and the gentlefolk out there in
Skokie’s Emily Oaks Nature Center. Skokie is a suburb that the FNFVF has reached out to and thanks to Lee
and the Skokie Park District, we hope that we are able to screen in Skokie in the years to come. Thanks are
due to Robin Ledford and the Skokie Park District for their support of the FNFVF.
A great and successful night. Well over 25 people for the night in the main program room. Many of the staff
there attended as well. I joked that those who knew me when I worked there were in for the treat of actually
hearing me do the most talking I have ever done at one time since they have known me. Everyone enjoyed
the feature. Lee and Company provided a really nice send off for the festival, and, for yours truly.
Now we must give everlasting thanks to all the artists whom submitted their film this year. To the artists
whom submitted and were not accepted, we thank you for your patience and graciousness in accepting our
decisions and hope that you will continue to submit to the First Nations Film and Video Festival.
Thanks to Randy Redroad for allowing us to screen his short “Moccasin Flats”, which garnered favorable
reviews. I certainly have come to enjoy it. To Honey Dawn Pettigrew and her continual works, for “The
Boundary of Moab”, the animated short she writ and produced. It was greatly reviewed by the audiences,
who enjoyed it very much.
Thanks go to Steve Judd and Tvli Jacobs for allowing us to screen their feature debut “American Indian
Graffiti”. The audiences were wowed at the humanity of the acting and the accomplishment of the film, and
many were inspired by their story and their success.
The First Nations Film and Video Festival must give great and mighty thanks to Sterlin Harjo and Chad Burris
for giving us permission to screen their excellent film “Four Sheets to the Wind”. Their generosity in this
time of change for the FNFVF is inspiring. The film has been well received at all the venues it screened. It is a
well-made film of quiet power and strong performances. It has become one of my all-around favorites
beyond mere "native" labeling. A film to inspire.
Lastly, we need to thank you, the audiences and patrons that came out in all manner of weather and start
times to view movies and videos screened during our festival. We really would not be doing this if the people
had not come out and watched, participated, and shown interest in Native American self-representation and
first-voice in media and film. You are the biggest part of our success this year and we hope that you
continue to support the First Nations Film and Video Festival for the years to come.
TO SECOND PAGE
By Ernest M. Whiteman III
As another year comes to an end, so does another film festival. As always, we here at the First Nations Film
and Video Festival have so many people to thank for their assistance in putting on this year’s “Path Less
Traveled” Native Film Series and making it the success it has been. Without these all great folks, we would
not have been able to take our first steps on the path towards Native American self-representation and
promote Native American first-voice in media.
First, we have to thank our venues this year, beginning with the Illinois State Museum – Chicago Gallery and
Jane Stevens, Associate Curator of the Chicago Gallery for all of her support of the FNFVF through the years
and for serving as a venue for the last few years. The ISM Chicago Gallery has always been a great place to
kick off the festival. The support staff there also deserves our thanks. They have shown great enthusiasm
for the FNFVF.
This year, we started the series in the Chicago Gallery’s open space and we were able to draw up to twenty-
five people a day throughout the days. People came in were drawn by our media blast, others were patrons
of the gallery, while more simply walked in and found us. It was another good year there.
Next, we must thank John Lowe and the staff of the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian. I especially
want to thank the young lady who provided me with the much-needed snack (a cookie) and whose name
escapes me now (Sorry!) Also, thanks to the Mitchell Board members who showed up and participated.
Again, we had a good, interested crowd at Mitchell. It always starts off small at the first venues, it makes me
nervous, but as the program progresses the crowds show up, the people arrive, like that old movie cliché;
“if you build it, they will come”. And they do. We are making some steps, some progress. We had an
audience of over 20 people. That was a good day. Thanks again to the Mitchell Museum and their beautiful
wide screen TV.
One of the pleasures of running the film festival is gaining new venues, a new chance to reach a new
audience or community. I have to thank Dorene Wiese and the American Indian Association of Illinois. AIAI is
a new venue with connections to our Native community in the north side of Chicago, and a venue that will
remain with the FNFVF in the coming years, I hope.
I always get nervous interacting with the Native community. I honestly am not very close to the Native
community here in Chicago. For no other reason than that I am not a very outgoing person. But the Native
community is always welcoming and generous. I have made many friends within the Native community. They
continue to be kind to a huge, too-quiet lug such as myself.
I want to thank Jolene Aleck and Sharon Horton for showing up to the screening at AIAI as well. Jolene is
my co-worker at my new job and is fast becoming a joy to work with. Sharon, as most of you know, is a
FNFVF Member-at-large. She offers her assistance continually but I never seem to find things for her to do.
Plus, she is my oldest friend here in Chicago, and it is always special to see her. She charms me.
Thanks are also due to Julia Spaulding and her staff there at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The
FNFVF has been screening at the DMN&S for the last three years mostly due to both Julia’s and Isabel
Tovar's efforts. We ask and they do their best to provide. The food and the company they provided that
evening was elixir to the so-very-tired traveler that showed up that night.
At the DMN&S, I did things rather differently. The screening fell on my father’s birthday and he had been on
my mind the whole month. Actually, there is not-never a time I do not think of my dad and mom. I miss
them greatly, but I was missing my father mightily that night. So, I pulled some notes together and spoke
openly about him. It fit in with the feature we screened as well. I miss him still. I miss them both, still.
The crowds at DMN&S have been great these last three years. Our first year there we had over 50 people
show up, the next we had close to 100, this year we had around 70. There is a good, strong Native
community there and the people are used to interacting with Natives has shown me that we can make these
leaps into representing ourselves, that in some circles of the non-Native world, they are hungry for it and
interested in it. Also, as always, being that close to the Rocky Mountains in the original lands of the
Northern Arapaho, always make me feel secure.
Thanks must go out to Judith Blackburn and the Beverly Arts Center, they always are ready to go no matter
when I ask them to participate. Judith’s enthusiasm for movies knows no bounds. Her energy seems to
power the BAC whenever I am there. While the tradition of bad weather once again reared its’ head, it was a
good night at the Beverly Arts Center.
Several people braved the icy weather to view the movie and were treated to the usual diatribe by yours
truly. They understood what the festival is about. One patron even told me that she attended all three years
the fest has been there. And thanks again Judith for the lift home.
Again, a new venue graced our festival. Many thanks go to Lee Hansen and the gentlefolk out there in
Skokie’s Emily Oaks Nature Center. Skokie is a suburb that the FNFVF has reached out to and thanks to Lee
and the Skokie Park District, we hope that we are able to screen in Skokie in the years to come. Thanks are
due to Robin Ledford and the Skokie Park District for their support of the FNFVF.
A great and successful night. Well over 25 people for the night in the main program room. Many of the staff
there attended as well. I joked that those who knew me when I worked there were in for the treat of actually
hearing me do the most talking I have ever done at one time since they have known me. Everyone enjoyed
the feature. Lee and Company provided a really nice send off for the festival, and, for yours truly.
Now we must give everlasting thanks to all the artists whom submitted their film this year. To the artists
whom submitted and were not accepted, we thank you for your patience and graciousness in accepting our
decisions and hope that you will continue to submit to the First Nations Film and Video Festival.
Thanks to Randy Redroad for allowing us to screen his short “Moccasin Flats”, which garnered favorable
reviews. I certainly have come to enjoy it. To Honey Dawn Pettigrew and her continual works, for “The
Boundary of Moab”, the animated short she writ and produced. It was greatly reviewed by the audiences,
who enjoyed it very much.
Thanks go to Steve Judd and Tvli Jacobs for allowing us to screen their feature debut “American Indian
Graffiti”. The audiences were wowed at the humanity of the acting and the accomplishment of the film, and
many were inspired by their story and their success.
The First Nations Film and Video Festival must give great and mighty thanks to Sterlin Harjo and Chad Burris
for giving us permission to screen their excellent film “Four Sheets to the Wind”. Their generosity in this
time of change for the FNFVF is inspiring. The film has been well received at all the venues it screened. It is a
well-made film of quiet power and strong performances. It has become one of my all-around favorites
beyond mere "native" labeling. A film to inspire.
Lastly, we need to thank you, the audiences and patrons that came out in all manner of weather and start
times to view movies and videos screened during our festival. We really would not be doing this if the people
had not come out and watched, participated, and shown interest in Native American self-representation and
first-voice in media and film. You are the biggest part of our success this year and we hope that you
continue to support the First Nations Film and Video Festival for the years to come.
TO SECOND PAGE
