Native Crossroads Film Festival Story & Photos by Anne WIMBERLY
The city of Norman is known for hosting artistic events of all types , from the monthly Second Friday Norman Art Walk to the Norman Music Festival in April and the Jazz in June festival . Norman also hosts the Native Crossroads Film Festival , which held its first screening of the year at the main branch of the Norman Public Library on April 1 , 2022 .
This year , the Native Crossroads Film Festival celebrated its tenth year . The Festival honors and celebrates indigenous film makers from across the globe . In the past , films from indigenous cultures were shown over a three-day period at the end of March or the beginning of April . This year , the Festival leadership team decided to opt for a one night screening of two films . The first film , the documentary Restoring Néške ’ emāne , was produced by Loren Waters . The second feature length film , Run Woman Run , was written and directed by Zoe Leigh Hopkins .
Loren Waters is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe . She moved to Norman when she was five years old . She attended Lakeview Elementary , Longfellow Middle School , and Norman North High School . She enrolled at the University of Oklahoma where she unknowingly began her journey of becoming an indigenous storyteller . Ms . Waters earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies . Her first inclinations of becoming an indigenous filmmaker occurred in one of her undergraduate courses called Gender and the Environment , taught by Dr . Laurel Smith .
“ Laurel Smith opened the door to filmmaking for me ,” Ms . Waters said . “ Laurel gives people the opportunity to tell stories themselves , “ Loren said . “ She teaches that these histories belong to us and need to be shared . And that telling stories through film is powerful .”
Waters ’ film Restoring Néške ’ emān reflects on the history of the Native American boarding school in Concho , Oklahoma . The story discusses the physical and emotional processes involved in reclaiming the old Concho boarding school and the land . The film describes the history , pain , and hope that the site of the boarding school has for indigenous people . The screening helped Ms . Waters to meet her goals of teaching , showing , and sharing indigenous culture with as many viewers as possible . Audience member Frances Danger , a member of the Muskogee and Seminole Tribes , thanked Ms . Waters for producing this powerful film .
Ms . Waters was pleased with this comment . “ My goal as a filmmaker is to inspire people through storytelling ,” she said . Restoring Néške ’ emān is the first short film Waters has directed . Waters enjoyed having the screening in Norman . Family and friends were able to attend , as well some of her mentors from the University of Oklahoma .
Ms . Waters goal is to continue to help others find platforms , such as the Native Crossroads Film Festival , to share their work . She hopes to produce more documentaries as well . That is , if she has time . She currently is the Background Casting Director for the popular FX series Reservation
Dogs , created and directed by another indigenous filmmaker from Oklahoma , Sterlin Harjo . Ms . Waters further represents her culture as a silversmith , photographer , and model .
Ms . Waters ’ s experience at the Native Crossroads Film Festival is the exact response desired by the creators of the Festival . Professor Joshua Nelson , who is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a native Oklahoman , is one of those creators . He is an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma ’ s English Department . Nelson ’ s specialty is Native literature and films . As a graduate student of
26 NormanMagazine . com | MAY / JUNE 2022