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The documentary “Bring Them Home” screens at 9:15 a.m. on Nov. 22 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, part of the 2024 Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival.
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A still from “The River”
Concerts, powwow drumming and dancing, and an artisan craft market are a few of the experiences scheduled for this year’s Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival, offering cultural immersion on-screen and beyond. What began eight years ago as a film festival at Carytown’s Byrd Theatre celebrating Native American storytellers has grown into a three-day interactive showcase of Indigenous heritage and daily life.
“It’s really expanded to become a cultural festival more than just a film festival, but the heart of it is the films, because we’re going to show 30 films that weekend, and I think that’s what brings people in,” says Brad Brown, director of the Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival and a member of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe based in King William County.
This year’s festival, set for Nov. 22-24, takes place between the neighboring Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Both museums’ theaters will be used for film screenings. The VMFA is also hosting a Music Fest, the Filmmakers Reception meet and greet for VIP ticketholders, and the Native American Family Day Powwow. The VMHC presents a discussion with author Lora Chilton about her book “1666: A Novel” and the Tsenacommacah Eastern Indian Marketplace, which returns for a second year with more artisans and handmade wares.
“We verify that all of our artisans that are selling goods there are enrolled members of either a federally or state-recognized tribe,” Brown says. “This is the real stuff, it’s really American Indian made.”
This year’s selected films address a variety of subjects from Native American and Indigenous filmmakers, all revolving around Native culture and experience. The 32 productions include shorts, documentaries and feature-length works sourced from and focusing on Native issues in Peru, Mexico, the United States and Canada.
“We do have films on residential boarding schools, films on genocide, how the United States government had a policy of genocide against the Native Americans. But more and more, a lot of the filmmakers are actually making their films about Native people and how they live and what’s going on in their lives and not necessarily going into anything historical,” Brown says.
Films such as “Realms of Resilience,” “Rosie” and “Wokiksuye” explore Indigenous connections with the natural world and family. Many of the screenings are also Virginia premieres, including 2024 releases “Bring Them Home,” “Red Fever” and “The River.”
The overarching goal of the festival is to raise awareness of Native American experiences and Indigenous perspectives. Brown notes the already-packed three-day program will most likely expand to four days next year in the hopes of connecting with more people. “We’re trying to create a feeling of an immersion into Native culture,” Brown says. “It’s something we’re hoping the whole family can come to and enjoy the whole weekend.”
The Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival takes place Nov. 22-24 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Weekend passes are $25 and include all films and activities; VIP tickets are $100 and include access to all events, plus the Filmmakers Reception.
