The Tulalip Film Festival will be held in Tulalip, Washington in late August, with final screenings from 3pm-10pm on Aug 24th, during an Awards Ceremony that evening. On August 25th at the Tulalip Amphitheater will also be hosting some of the winners in some of the categories, as well.
At the Tulalip Film Festival we, the organizers, wish to turn the spotlight onto Native films and filmmakers in general, and onto Coast Salish filmmakers in specific. We hope to foster the melding of the art form of cinema (in this case mostly Digital Videos rather than actual films) and the rich and vibrant culture and art of local Native Tribes and Native Peoples from all over the continent. The visual medium of film offers wonderful and unique opportunities for any group or tribe to share their stories, old or new. Modern or ancient tales spring to life on film & video in ways that other media cannot duplicate.
We will begin our festival in the spirit of education. A workshop for filmmakers will run throughout our first week. Past, present & future filmmakers will be able to attend workshops in many aspects of film production such as, editing, screenwriting, story-boarding, direction, and cinematography, as well as getting the opportunity to create soundtracks for films. College credits will also be awarded upon completion of the workshop, contact Northwest Indian College -Tulalip site to get registered & find out what the cost is. (A limited number of scholarships may be available, depending on eligibility).
We will also be hosting an art & possibly a music class (TBA) and select results will possibly be incorporated in the finished films that will be entered into the final screening on August 24th & 25th of the Tulalip festivals.
Leading up to the second week of the festival, we will focus on showing as many of the submitted films as possible, in different locations to be announced.
On the final night of the festival, selected award winners will be shown at both the NWIC-Tulalip Campus site and the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club on Aug 24th from 3pm-5pm (youth films) and then from 6-10pm (music videos, some youth films, and one-three feature length films). Selected award winners will also be screened at the Tulalip Amphitheater. We will be handing out awards for a number of categories, so those who have been nominated are invited to attend the Aug 24th Awards night and if they may wish to also come to the Tulalip Amphitheater if their films will be selected to be screened there, as well. This will have to be at their own expenses, but feel free to contact us for travel & lodging information.
The festival will accept submissions of all genres and from all filmmakers. Films of Native origin and/or Native/Coast Salish themes will be our primary focus. We also have a music video category this year and are hoping for animations as well. All films however will be eligible for awards in a number of categories, including but not limited to Documentaries, Original Screenplay, Audience Award, etc. There will also be several categories specific to Coast Salish films, such as Coast Salish language films, Legends, and Coast Salish Filmmakers.
Above all we will strive to create a positive atmosphere to nurture new and prospective filmmakers, and to celebrate the works of current and past filmmakers. It is our hope that from this festival will grow a greater appreciation of the art form of film and its potential for expression for Native, and indeed all cultures. We also hope to encourage and support local and Native filmmakers and the work that they do for the art world and for their own communities.