In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, a new Indigenous film festival is coming to St. Louis Park.
The Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF) will host the MNmicro Film Festival: Indigenous (the latest installment in its MNmicro series) on Sunday, Nov. 17 at the Marcus West End Cinema. The event will showcase six feature presentations (including feature-length and short films) by local filmmakers, and all screenings are free and open to the public.
Courtesy of Twin Cities Film Fest
The funding comes in part from the Minnesota Humanities Center—TCFF was one of 86 recipients to receive a grant through the Cultural Heritage Awards that went towards supporting the MNmicro Film Festival series. Forthcoming festival themes include Black History in February and Pacific Islander in May.
Local filmmakers will walk the red carpet for pre-screening photos and interviews, and the event will also feature post-film discussions and a mixer celebration.
The screening schedule and link to RSVP can be found on the festival’s website, but here’s a preview of the selected films:
“Stories I Didn’t Know” (dir. Rita Davern, Melody Gilbert): This documentary follows Rita Davern’s quest to learn more about her Irish ancestors, during which she is faced with the ugly reality at the heart of a family legend. Along the way, she meets Ramona, a Dakota educator who helps Davern understand what Indigenous communities faced at the hands of the U.S. government on this land.
“The Jingle Dress“ (dir. William Eigen): A contemporary story of a Native American family that moves from their rural home on the reservation in northern Minnesota to the faster-paced urban environment of Minneapolis. The film follows the Red Elk family as they experience city culture through their unvarnished perspective, and gain insight into their Indigenous culture and traditions.
“The Electric Indian“ (dir. Leya Hale): A documentary following the life of Ojibwe hockey legend Henry Boucha. A stand-out hockey star from Warroad, Minnesota, Boucha impressed on the ice from the 1969 Minnesota High School Hockey Tournament to the 1972 Olympics to the NHL, but an on-ice assault and injury ended his athletic career that unexpectedly led to a journey of healing and cultural reclamation.
“Without Arrows“ (dir. Elizabeth Day, Jon Olshefski): Filmed over the course of thirteen years (2011-2023), this film chronicles the vibrance and struggle of a Lakȟóta family. Delwin Fiddler Jr., a champion grass dancer from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, left his reservation as a young man to escape a trauma that splintered his family and built a new life in Philadelphia. A decade later, he abandons it all and returns home to fulfill his mother’s ambition and carry on the legacy of their thiyóšpaye (extended family).
“The Coyote Way“ (dir. Missy Whiteman): A short sci‐fi/docu-narrative film about a young boy named Charlie, who must make a life changing decision to join a Native street gang or begin an epic pilgrimage that will reveal the truth of his existence.
“We Come From the Stars“ (dir. Missy Whiteman): Director Missy Whiteman explores and connects Dakota, Ojibwe, and Arapaho creation stories, significant sacred sites, and star constellations in this documentary that reflects on where we’ve been to see where we are going. Her story weaves together interviews with elders and wisdom keepers, poetry, music, and star maps to explore these origin stories that are rooted in Minnesotan land.
