American Indian Film Festival facts for kids
| Location | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1975 |
| Festival date | November |
| Website | http://www.aifisf.com/ |
The American Indian Film Festival is a special event held every year in San Francisco, California, United States. It's the oldest film festival in the world that focuses only on movies made by and about Native American and First Nations people.
This festival started in Seattle, Washington in 1975. Then, in 1977, it moved to San Francisco, where it has been ever since. In 1979, the festival became an official non-profit organization.
Over the years, more than 3,100 films have been shown at the festival. These movies come from Native American and First Nations communities in the U.S. and Canada. The festival is a fun place where you can watch films, join discussions, see an awards show, and meet other people who love movies.
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What is the American Indian Film Festival?
This festival is a big deal for filmmakers from Native American and First Nations backgrounds. It gives them a chance to share their stories and art with a wider audience. It also helps people learn more about their cultures and experiences through movies.
Celebrating Talented Winners
The American Indian Film Festival celebrates many talented people and amazing films. It gives awards to movies, directors, and actors who have done great work. Some of the films that have won awards include Barking Water, Smoke Signals, and Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner. Many skilled directors and actors have also been honored for their contributions to film.
Best Films Through the Years
The festival has honored many outstanding films over the decades. Here are some of the movies that have won the "Best Film" award:
Top Films of the 1980s
| Year | Film | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Loyalties | William Johnston and Ronald Lillie |
| 1988 | Journey to Spirit Island | Bruce D. Clark and Rodger Spero |
| 1989 | Powwow Highway | Jan Weiringa |
Top Films of the 1990s
| Year | Film | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Dances With Wolves | Jim Wilson and Kevin Costner |
| 1992 | Incident at Oglala | Arthur Chobanian |
| 1993 | Medicine River | Barbara Allinson, John Danylkiw and Arvi Liimatainen |
| 1994 | Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee | Fred Berner |
| 1995 | Dance Me Outside | Brian Dennis |
| 1996 | Grand Avenue | Tony To |
| 1998 | Smoke Signals | Larry Estes |
| 1999 | Unbowed | Lisa Karadjian and Nanci Rossov |
Top Films of the 2000s
| Year | Film | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Backroads | Shirley Cheechoo, Phyllis Ellis and Christine K. Walker |
| 2001 | The Doe Boy | Chris Eyre and Anthony Vozza |
| 2002 | Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner | Paul Apak Angilirq, Norman Cohn, Zacharias Kunuk and Germaine Wong |
| 2003 | Dreamkeeper | Ron McLeod and Matthew O'Connor |
| 2004 | Edge of America | Chris Eyre and Willy Holtzman |
| 2005 | Johnny Tootall | Cynthia Chapman and Danielle Prohom Olson |
| 2006 | Expiration Date | John Forsen and Rick Stevenson |
| 2007 | Imprint | Chris Eyre and Michael Linn |
| 2008 | Before Tomorrow | Stephanie Rituit |
| 2009 | Barking Water | Chad Burris |
Top Films of the 2010s
| Year | Film | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | A Windigo Tale | Armand Garnet Ruffo |
| 2011 | Shouting Secrets | Josef Ueli Bollag and Korinna Sehringer |
| 2012 | Mesnak | Reginald Vollant |
| 2013 | Maïna | Yves Fortin and Karine Martin |
| 2014 | Drunktown's Finest | Chad Burris and Mateo Frazier |
| 2015 | Mekko | Chad Burris and Jasper Zweibel |
| 2016 | Before the Streets | Chloe Leriche |
| 2017 | Wind River | Elizabeth A. Bell, Peter Berg, Matthew George, Basil Iwanyk and Wayne L. Rogers |
| 2018 | Angelique's Isle | Amos Adetuyi, Dave Clement, Michelle Derosier and Floyd Kane |
| 2019 | Edge of the Knife | Jonathan Frantz |
Top Films of the 2020s
| Year | Film | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Monkey Beach | Loretta Todd, Patti Poskitt, Carla Robinson, Fred Fuchs, Matthew O'Connor, Lisa Richardson |
| 2021 | Run Woman Run | David Conlon, Paula Devonshire, Bruce Fleming, Zoe Leigh Hopkins, Laura Milliken, Paul Moyer, Dan Nanticoke, PJ Thornton |
