A Documentary Film Fellowship For Emerging Indigenous Creatives

hi! my name is Nika i grew up in Phoenix Arizona, I am from the Hopi village of Shungopavi. Im not sure anything i do could be considered a hobby but i dabble in Collage Art, and i write a little bit. I  love the deeply chaotic nature of art, Film and movies have been my favorite way of combining all different art mediums through the lens of storytelling.

I am Eva and I’m 18 years old. I live in Durango. I am Mandan, Hidatsa, Oglala Lakota and enrolled in the 3 Affiliated Tribes in North Dakota. I am closer to my Oglala Ancestry though I’m not enrolled in that tribe my Oglala Mom raised me. I wanted to do this fellowship as camerawork, photography, and videography has always been a hobby of mine and given life circumstances I haven’t been able to explore too much yet but I enjoy indulging in my passions when I can! I love documentaries because I think learning from film can be very useful and people love to watch things too. Which is why this is a great opportunity for me to get involved with it and work with other people which is something I’ve never done before. I also want to seek to improve myself in this area as I’d love to be able to make bigger projects in the future!

My name is Sierra Marie Buffalohead, and my Ponca name is Hah Wah Teh (White Deerskin Woman). I am a first year college student attending the University of NE at Omaha planning to major in Studio Arts with a K-12 certification and a minor in Native American Studies. I am a multimedia artist; painter, sculptor, creative writer, slam poet, photographer, videographer, graphic designer, and regalia sewer. My favorite movie genres are horror, science fiction, anime, and musicals. I have a passion to tell the stories of our people through filmmaking.

Sonway taalawva! My name is Ellyse Fredericks and I’m from the Hopi Reservation in Arizona. I am a senior majoring in Journalism and Media Studies with a minor in Writing and will be graduating this Fall 2024 at Fort Lewis College. I enjoy watching films because I enjoy analyzing the narrative structure and studying the camerawork. This interests me to create my own visual storytelling and learn new skills of filmmaking. Askwali (thank you)

Bio coming soon!

My name is Evan Smith, I am from Missoula Montana and going to school at IAIA in Santa Fe NM to get my degree in digital filmmaking. I have loved Film since I was a child and my favorite four would have to be Paris Texas, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, Godzilla (1954), and American Splendor.

Hello, my name is Tyler Socé. My pronouns are He/They, and I also go by the name T’skāādn. I’m from the White Mountain Apache Tribe, residing in Whiteriver, Arizona. I’ve always had an inspiring interest in filmmaking since I was a young adolescent, creating short videos with my friends. I love to create stories that leave an impact in the minds of others through writing, music, and film. Having an opportunity to collaborate with other Indigenous creatives in the process of filmmaking is truly a blessing, and I can’t wait to begin working with everyone.

I am Onk Akimel O’odham representing the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. Movies, art, and storytelling are my passions, and i’m on a mission to help my community preserve our variety of narratives for generations to come.

My name is Tonya Tolino and I am from the Navajo Nation. I am a recent graduate from Dartmouth College and my hobby interests include photography and painting. I did not delve too much into the wonderful field of film and media during my undergraduate years; however, it has always been an interest of mine, especially with seeing how impactful it can be for showing the beauty and diversity that exist in Indigenous communities around the world.