The Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival 2024 is set to take place from November 22-24 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) in Richmond, Virginia. This year marks the eighth annual celebration of Native American films and storytellers.
The festival will feature 30 films, including shorts, documentaries, and feature-length works, all focusing on Native culture and experiences. Some notable films include “Bring Them Home”, “Red Fever”, and “The Woman of Stars and Mountains”. The festival also includes special events like a Music Fest, a Filmmakers Reception, and a Native American Family Day Powwow.
Brad Brown, the festival’s director and a member of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, emphasizes that the festival aims to provide cultural immersion and raise awareness of Native American experiences. The goal is to create an environment where families can enjoy and learn about Indigenous culture over the weekend1.
1. THE WOMAN OF STARS AND MOUNTAINS (2023) | MEXICO
Spanish, English, Tarahumara, English Subtitles
Indigeneity Beyond the Southern Border Presented by Federico Cuatlacuatl
Director: SANTIAGO ESTEINOU
Producer: SANTIAGO ESTEINOU, JOSÉ MIGUEL DÍAZ SALINAS, AXEL PEDRAZA ÁVILA, JAVIER CAMPOS LOPEZ
Rita, an indigenous woman from Mexico, left her Tarahumara mountain community in northern Mexico and embarked on a journey to Kansas. There, she was involuntarily detained and confined in a psychiatric hospital for 12 years because the hospital authorities could not ascertain her identity, origins, or the language she spoke. Upon the discovery of the truth, Rita returned to her community and her niece, Juanita, who cared for her. The Woman of Stars and Mountains presents a moving portrait of Rita and explores the multiple forms of racism and discrimination that indigenous women face.
Best Documentary – Ibero-Latin American Film Festival of Trieste, Italy Nominated, Golden Alexander Award – Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, Greece Best Int’l Documentary – DOCVILLE International Documentary Film Festival, Belgium
FRIDAY 3:30PM | RUNNING TIME 1H 41M | VENUE: VMFA
2. RED FEVER (2024) | CANADA
Directed by Neil Diamond & Catherine Bainbridge
Produced by Rezolution Pictures
Red Fever is a witty and entertaining feature documentary about the profound — yet hidden — Indigenous influence on Western culture and identity. The film follows Cree co-director Neil Diamond as he asks, “Why do they love us so much?!” and sets out on a journey to find out why the world is so fascinated with the stereotypical imagery of Native people that is all over pop culture. Why have Indigenous cultures been revered, romanticized, and appropriated for so long, and to this day? Red Fever uncovers the surprising truths behind the imagery — so buried in history that even most Native people don’t know about them.
