A still from the film "Amasani," screening at the Pocahontas Reframed film festival (Photo courtesy Stacy Howard)
A celebration of this country’s native American past and present returns to Richmond this weekend as the Pocahontas Reframed: Storytellers Film Festival comes to Carytown’s Byrd Theatre. The film festival — meant to build community and spread awareness of indigenous cultures and stories — takes place from Thursday, Nov. 15, to Sunday, Nov. 18.
The festival brings 20 films composed of shorts, documentaries and feature-length films by and about Native Americans, made by filmmakers from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, according to Bradby Brown, director of the film festival and assistant chief of the Pamunkey tribe.
“We're looking for films that tell a story and let people know here in Virginia that Indians are still here," he says. "There are 11 tribes in Virginia, and the goal is to not only educate but to entertain the public."
Festival films include “Defending the Fire,” an award-winning documentary about the legacy and spirit of native Americans as warriors, and “Hostiles,” a feature film starring Christian Bale, Wes Studi and Rosamund Pike that tells the story of an army captain escorting a dying Cheyenne war chief back to tribal lands.
Michael Horse, who played Deputy Hawk on “Twin Peaks,” will host the festival. First Nations musicians Pura Fé and Cary Morin will also be performing 8 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17. Actor and veteran Sam Bearpaw will also appear as a special guest.
The film festival is a legacy project of American Evolution, which seeks to commemorate the 400th anniversary of 1619, a year of significant historical events in Virginia such as the establishment of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America.
Tickets for the film festival range from $10 to $35. For more information, visit pocahontasreframed.com.
