Native Spirit Festival is part of Native Spirit Foundation, founded by Mapuche leader Freddy Trequil in 2005 to promote knowledge and awareness of Indigenous cultures – and longer term projects supporting Community-run education in Native Schools.

"All the [activists] have come to the conclusion that one objective of making video, radio and television is for the other culture to know us. It is necessary to create a bridge to share our culture in an educational form, without losing our identity.” Freddy Treuquil.

This festival promotes Indigenous Filmmakers, media and artists each October offering illuminating and crucial alternatives to the mainstream.

All types of film welcomed - Shorts, Features, Animation, SciFi, Horror, Comedy, Music, Dance, Spoken Word, Experimental...

2019 Special interest: LANGUAGES, THE MOON, SPORT. FUTURE GENERATIONS UNCRC 30th anniversary Rights of the Child, Article 30), "...Indigenous children have the right to learn about and practice their own culture, language and religion..."

Awards & Prizes

Native Spirit is a non-competitive festival.

Rules & Terms

PLEASE RESPECTFULLY TAKE NOTE: Native Spirit's priority is to present Indigenous Filmmakers, Mediamakers and Artists.

IMPORTANT: To be eligible for submission, an Indigenous person must have a designated key creative role - director, producer, screenwriter - either behind or in front of the camera. This must be clearly stated in the Custom Form and Synopsis.

All media submitted to Native Spirit Festival will be considered by the Festival’s judging team. Films are selected on the basis that the values presented align with that of Native Spirit Foundation’s work. Native Spirit Festival is a charitable project and therefore a non-commercial festival run by dedicated volunteers.

Previous programmes: https://issuu.com/nativespirituk/docs/brochure_lo__native_spirit_festival

Non-English language films must have English subtitles to be eligible.
Selected films may be invited to screen at Native Spirit Taiwan (Mandarin subtitles) in November and/or at year-round Outreach events in UK.
6 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Red Haircrow

    Very fine & thorough communication and good support for filmmakers. Myself and 4 film crew/participants were able to attend the screening of our feature length documentary and Q&A session where we were made to feel welcome and heard. A great opportunity to share indigenous voices around the world.

    May 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for allowing us to screen your important documentary, for bringing film crew and participants to form a panel, for accepting Radio & TV interviews during a busy schedule. It was a great and learning experience with alot of good feedback. Appreciated.

  • David N. Bernatchez

    Festival is engaged in an important subject and project of knowledge on the term and idea of native populations. Large programming but significant in it's choices. Best wishes.

    October 2018
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  • Ernest M Whiteman III

    I was unable to attend but fest like Native Spirit are needed and am happy to have had my film "The Final Meeting" among the selections. Great communications and clear guidelines. I hope submit more films to Native Spirit Film Festival.

    January 2018
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  • Abraham Cote

    I was invited to screen a short film at Native spirit Film Festival and it was a great experience! Great hospitality and communication. Was sent e-mail and twitter updates on the sate of my application and screenings. Was treated with the utmost respect as an up and coming filmmaker and I would definitely apply to Native Spirit with my next film. Thanks so much Native Spirit Film Festival!

    November 2017
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  • Marco Romano

    I couldn't come to the screenings of this very interesting and important event , which is The Native Spirit Film Festival. I was following the Event and his great program online from Mali - WA, I really missed to be there and to have a full film immersion in anthropological / ethnological themes . Any way I'm very glad and honored to have been part with my documentary "The cultural journey to Timbuktu" at Native Spirit Film Festival.
    Marco /roadmusic prod.

    October 2017
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you! very kind.