American Indian Film Festival
The American Indian Film Festival is an annual non-profit film festival in San Francisco, California, United States. It is the world's oldest venue dedicated solely to Native American/First Nations films and prepared the way for the 1979 formation of the American Indian Film Institute.
According to the Institute, the Festival was first presented Seattle, Washington in 1975 and moved in 1977 to San Francisco, where it remains today. In 1979, the Festival was incorporated.
Over 3,100 films have been screened from Native American/First Nations communities in the U.S. and Canada, and the festival includes events such as film screenings, panel discussions, an awards ceremony and networking events.
This festival is not to be confused by the Native American Film and Video Festival, which was founded in 1979.
Recent festival winners include:
- films and documentaries: Barking Water, Given to Walk, Le jour avant le lendemain, Imprint, Expiration Date, Johnny Tootall, Dreamkeeper, The Doe Boy, Unbowed, Smoke Signals, Healing of Nations, PahaSapa... The Struggle for the Black Hills, , Maïna
- directors and filmmakers: Chris Eyre, Nanci Rossov, Randy Redroad, Steve Barron, Rodrick Pocowatchit, Shirley Cheechoo, Aaron James Sorensen, Rick Stevenson, Sterlin Harjo, Marie-Hélène Cousineau, Madeline Ivalu, Georgina Lightning, Kevin Willmott
- documentarians: Mel Lawrence, Peter von Puttkamer,
- actors: Adam Beach, Jay Tavare, James Duval, Jeri Arredondo, Judy Herrera, Robert A. Guthrie, Cody Lightning, Tonantzin Carmelo, Carla-Rae, Trevor Duplessis, Candace Fox, Wes Studi, Misty Upham, Casey Camp-Horinek, Winter Fox Frank, Roseanne Supernault, Michelle Thrush, Earnest "Ernie" David Tsosie III
Best Films
1980s
| Year | Film | Producer |
| 1987 | Loyalties | William Johnston and Ronald Lillie |
| 1988 | Journey to Spirit Island | Bruce D. Clark and Rodger Spero |
| 1989 | Powwow Highway | Jan Weiringa |
1990s
| Year | Film | Producer |
| 1990 | Dances With Wolves | Jim Wilson and Kevin Costner |
| 1992 | Incident at Oglala | Arthur Chobanian |
| 1993 | Medicine River | Barbara Allinson, John Danylkiw and Arvi Liimatainen |
| 1994 | Fred Berner | |
| 1995 | Dance Me Outside | Brian Dennis |
| 1996 | Grand Avenue | Tony To |
| 1998 | Smoke Signals | Larry Estes |
| 1999 | Unbowed | Lisa Karadjian and Nanci Rossov |
2000s
| Year | Film | Producer |
| 2000 | Backroads | Shirley Cheechoo, Phyllis Ellis and Christine K. Walker |
| 2001 | The Doe Boy | Chris Eyre and Anthony Vozza |
| 2002 | Paul Apak Angilirq, Norman Cohn, Zacharias Kunuk and Germaine Wong | |
| 2003 | Dreamkeeper | Ron McLeod and Matthew O'Connor |
| 2004 | Edge of America | Chris Eyre and Willy Holtzman |
| 2005 | Johnny Tootall | Cynthia Chapman and Danielle Prohom Olson |
| 2006 | Expiration Date | John Forsen and Rick Stevenson |
| 2007 | Imprint | Chris Eyre and Michael Linn |
| 2008 | Before Tomorrow | Stephanie Rituit |
| 2009 | Barking Water | Chad Burris |
2010s
| Year | Film | Producer |
| 2010 | A Windigo Tale | Armand Garnet Ruffo |
| 2011 | Shouting Secrets | Josef Ueli Bollag and Korinna Sehringer |
| 2012 | Mesnak | Reginald Vollant |
| 2013 | Maïna | Yves Fortin and Karine Martin |
| 2014 | Drunktown's Finest | Chad Burris and Mateo Frazier |
| 2015 | Mekko | Chad Burris and Jasper Zweibel |
| 2016 | Before the Streets | Chloe Leriche |
| 2017 | Wind River | Elizabeth A. Bell, Peter Berg, Matthew George, Basil Iwanyk and Wayne L. Rogers |
| 2018 | Angelique's Isle | Amos Adetuyi, Dave Clement, Michelle Derosier and Floyd Kane |
| 2019 | Edge of the Knife | Jonathan Frantz |