Native Spirit Festival presents Indigenous Filmmakers, media and artists each October offering an important and illuminating alternative to the mainstream.

The 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.

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

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: This is a festival created for Indigenous Filmmakers and voices. Non-Indigenous filmmakers considered - Films must have Native protagonists and a clear connection with Indigenous Cultures. Ethnographic and Anthropological filmmakers need not submit.

IMPORTANT: To be eligible for submission, an Indigenous person must have a designated key role either behind or in front of the camera and the connection with an Indigenous community has to be clearly stated in the Synopsis and Custom Form.

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

All non-English language films must have English subtitles for final viewing.
Some Films may be invited to screen at Native Spirit Taiwan in November and/or at year-round Outreach events.

Incomplete Submission Forms cannot be processed.

Thank You
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
    Helpful
    Logo
    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
    Helpful
  • 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
    Helpful
  • 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
    Helpful
  • 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
    Helpful
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Thank you! very kind.