May 2-4, 2025
Friday, Saturday and Sunday

INDIGENOUS WAYS
- Film FESTIVAL -

Indigenous Ways Film Festival

Friday, May 2 (3 PM - 9 PM)
Saturday, May 3 (11 AM - 9 PM)
Sunday, May 4 (11 AM - 5 PM) 

Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Campus
83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe, NM 87508

*Free & Open to the Public, (Seats are guaranteed with RSVP). ASL Interpreters Provided.

Join us for the 2025 IndigenousWays Film Festival, a three-day celebration of Indigenous storytelling, art, and community. Hosted on the ancestral lands of the Tewa people at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, this FREE festival shines a spotlight on Indigenous women and student filmmakers through powerful film screenings, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking artist conversations. All events are wheelchair accessible and include ASL interpretation.

This year’s festival honors both the deep traditions and bold future of Indigenous cinema. With stories of resilience, humor, healing, and intergenerational wisdom, every frame offers an intimate glimpse into the richness of Indigenous identity and creativity.

 Featured Guests

  • Carla-Rae (Seneca/Mohawk)

    Actress who honors the sacred significance of stories through her work

  • Jhane Myers (Comanche/Blackfeet)

    Producer of Prey and advocate for authentic Indigenous representation in film

  • DezBaa’ (Diné/Navajo)

    Actress, filmmaker, and champion of Indigenous media

  • Ramona Emerson (Diné)

    Emmy-nominated filmmaker and author of Shutter

  • Amber Morning Star Byars (Choctaw)

    Emerging voice in Native cinema and student filmmaker

  • Gary Medina Cook (Genizaro, Choctaw, French,Scottish/Irish)

    Filmmaker, musician and composer

  • James WoodenLegs (Cheyenne)

    Deaf member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, works to preserve Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL)

  • Arletta Toland (Navajo)

    Deaf Diné Elder who is the subject and co-director of Arletta.

  • Laura Cook

    Deaf filmmaker who founded TB8 Films and Media LLC

  • Alika Mteuzi (Caddo)

    Filmmaker, BFA graduate from IAIA (2023), created Hadaya, shown at Red Nation Film Festival and MoCNA

  • J. Sanchez

    PGA member and Air Force vet J. created The Fireball Run, develops attractions, and runs Scaramanga Ranch near Santa Fe

  • Jennifer Schwalenberg

    Santa Fe casting director who began in L.A., built NM’s Native casting database, served as NM Film Office Deputy Director, and now works with Midthunder

  • Rene Haynes

    BAFTA, Emmy, Artios, and Canadian Screen Award nominee

  • Montana Miles Miller (Navajo)

    Diné artist, BFA student at IAIA, won Best Experimental Short at Mindfield for Arletta

🎞️ 2025 IndigenousWays Film Festival Schedule

May 2–4 | Institute of American Indian Arts Campus | FREE | ASL Interpreters Provided 

Celebrate the power of Indigenous storytelling with a weekend of transformative films, inspiring panels, and community-focused conversations. All screenings will be followed by engaging discussions with filmmakers, artists, and cultural leaders.

Featured FIlms

📅 Friday, May 2

🎬 Opening Night | Featured Film

Free Leonard Peltier

Special Screening + Panel Discussion

⏱️ 6:00 PM | Duration: 2 hrs

Produced by Jesse Short Bull (Lakota Nation vs. United States, 2024 Emmy Winner) and Jhane Myers (Prey), this compelling documentary sheds light on the decades-long incarceration of Leonard Peltier, exploring themes of justice, sovereignty, and Indigenous resilience. 

🎤 Followed by a panel discussion Jesse Short Bull and producer Jhane Myers

📅 Saturday, May 3

🎬 Saturday Morning Matinee

The Genízaro Experience

Directed by Gary Medina Cook

⏱️ 11:00 AM | Duration: 1 hr

An insightful exploration of the complex identity and history of the Genízaro people of New Mexico.

🎤 Followed by a panel discussion

🎬 Saturday Afternoon Feature

Bones of Crows

⏱️ 2:30 PM | Duration: 2 hrs

An insightful exploration of the complex identity and history of the Genízaro people of New Mexico.

🎤 Followed by a panel discussion

🎬 Saturday Student Short Films

Student Short Films

⏱️ 7:15 PM | Duration: 1.5 hrs

🎤 Spotlight on student filmmakers from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)

An evening dedicated to emerging Indigenous voices. These short films—created by IAIA students—highlight personal stories, cultural identity, and creative innovation through bold, experimental, and heartfelt cinematic works. Don’t miss this powerful glimpse into the future of Indigenous filmmaking.

🎬 Saturday Evening Panel

Native Women Filmmakers Panel

⏱️ 6:30 PM | Duration: 1 hr

🎤 Join Ramona Emerson, and Jhane Myers

A dynamic, cross-generational conversation on creativity, representation, and the triumphs and challenges of Native women in film.

📅 Sunday, May 2

🎬 Sunday Feature Presentation

Sugarcane

Directed By Amber Morning Star Byars (Choctaw)

A poetic and visually striking film that weaves Choctaw identity, ancestral memory, and the spirit of Southern landscapes into a deeply moving narrative.

🎤 Followed by a panel discussion

⏱️ 11:00 AM | Duration: 1.5 hrs

🌟 Festival Highlights 🌟

Short & Feature Films: Experience a diverse range of stories, from intimate narratives to groundbreaking documentaries. 

  • Student Films: Discover fresh perspectives from the next generation of Indigenous filmmakers. 

  • Panels & Conversations: Engage in meaningful discussions with filmmakers, artists, and cultural leaders. 

    • Deaf Shorts & Panel: An immersive cinematic experience where sign language transforms into poetry, power, and profound expression.

    • Indigenous Women in Film: Celebrating matriarchal strength and creative brilliance both on screen and behind the scenes.

  • Workshops: Hands-on sessions for youth and adults to explore storytelling and media creation. 

Join us for a weekend of storytelling, connection, and celebration as we honor the voices shaping Indigenous cinema today and tomorrow!

The IndigenousWays Festival is an outdoor music and arts events in Santa Fe during the summer months. We bring together Indigenous musicians, wisdom keepers, artisans, drummers, weavers and a host of other performers to continue our goal of educating our community around the beauty of Indigenous Ways.

PAst events

Thank You

Ahéhee' nihíká’ anajah dóó nihil nisoozí

In Navajo: thank you for your support and for standing together with us.

IndigenousWays is incredibly thankful to all our sponsors -  their financial generosity allows us to bring this festival free to our community. We are equally grateful to all our partner organizations, who have helped put the IndigenousWays Festival on the map and provide us with wisdom. And a special shout-out to the scores of volunteers who lend their time and energy, month after month to the festival.