Short and Sweet: Indigenous Program Short Films' Past, Present, and Future

By Katie Arthurs

The phrase we stand on the shoulders of giants was a sentiment taught to me as a child, but one that's meaning didn't fully seep in until I was older and setting out on my own. I found myself falling back on the things I learned from my parents and grandparents - and even my great grandparents - to get me through. Tips and tricks passed down to stretch a dollar helped like no other in my poor college years. Crafts and arts I had watched my elders make became a pastime that made me feel closer to home when homesickness kicked in. Listening to stories passed down made me feel seen and less alone in any problems I faced.

The circular view of time - in which all that came before doesn't just disappear, but is something we carry with us both in the present and into the future - is a belief held by many tribes across Turtle Island. This belief is also ever present in the work made by Sundance Institute's Indigenous Program-supported artists. With stories that focus on language, traditional stories, tribal history, family, and so much more, filmmaking is bringing a whole new way for Indigenous artists to showcase who they are and where they come from.

The Indigenous Program also tries to carry that belief into our work. We look to those who came before us and built this program from the ground up, we set out to build upon that great legacy in the present, and look to support even more artists and provide greater opportunities in the future.

Below, you can check out a few of the giant's shoulders we stand on and their history with our work, what the program is currently doing, and what we see for the future.

LINK:	https://www.sundance.org/blogs/short-and-sweet-indigenous-program-shor...
	See more stories from sundance

More from Sundance Institute