National Museum of the American Indian. Film and Video Center Search this
Extent:
21.5 cu. ft. (21 record storage boxes) (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Clippings
Electronic images
Electronic records
Compact discs
Digital versatile discs
Floppy disks
Black-and-white photographs
Color photographs
Black-and-white transparencies
Color transparencies
Audiotapes
Videotapes
Date:
1977-2016
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of records that document the breadth and history of the programs and work of the FVC, including the NAFVF, film screenings, the Native Americans
on Film and Video publications, and the Native Networks / Redes Indigenas website. Some materials date to when the before the National Museum of the American Indian as
was a part of the Smithsonian and was known at the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation.
Another project documented in the accession is Proyecto Audio-Visual Indigenista (PAVI), which was a project to survey individuals and organizations in twenty-six South
and Central American countries who are knowledgeable about indigenous works on audio, film and video in their respective regions. The project was initiated to increase awareness
of the media in Central and South America - who produces it, what types of works are available, how these works are used in relation to indigenous and non-indigenous communities
- as well as to facilitate contact between indigenous producers and organization in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries and funding, distribution, and producing organization
in the United States and Europe.
Staff represented in the collection include Elizabeth Weatherford, Founder and Head, and Emelia Seubert, Assistant Curator. Materials include correspondence, memoranda,
grant proposals, images, newsletters, programs, budget records, brochures, invitations, press releases, transcripts, survey records, retreat records, audience evaluations,
permissions and releases, audio and video recordings, clippings, and other related records. Some materials are in Spanish as well as in electronic format.
Historical Note:
Created in 1979 within the former Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation in New York, the Film and Video Center (FVC) was the country's oldest media arts center
for Native and indigenous film. The center was dedicated to promoting Native and indigenous filmmaking throughout the Americas and opening up new opportunities for Native
film.
One of its major programs was the biennial Native American Film + Video Festival (NAFVF), which showcased new works of independent film and videomakers and Native American
mediamakers, with a focus on current issues and contemporary life. The Festival ran from 1979 to 2011.
In addition to the NAFVF, the FVC also presented and supported a variety of film festivals. Starting in 2000 as a partnership with the Center for Contemporary Arts, the
Native Cinema Showcase brought Native films and filmmakers to Santa Fe's Indian Market. Among the other festivals it participated in or supported are: the Pacifika Showcase;
the D.C. Environmental Film Festival; First Nations/First Features: A Showcase of World Indigenous Cinema; the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum's Native FilmFest in Palm Springs,
California; and Arizona State Museum's Native Eyes Film Festival in Tucson, Arizona.
FVC also hosted two film ongoing film series that showed feature-length films, followed by discussion: Dinner and a Movie in Washington, D.C., and At the Movies in New
York. At each location there were regular daytime screenings for general audiences and frequent special programs. In Washington, films were shown several time a week that
were geared towards families, educators, and students. In New York, daily screenings highlighted topics related to current exhibitions and important themes in contemporary
Native American life. Also in New York, FVC presented Especially for Kids which was a daily morning program for children.
In addition the FVC published Native Americans on Film and Video (2 volumes) which serves as a compilation of primarily documentary films made by and about Native
Americans. Not only do the volumes contain listings of video tapes and films, including general descriptions, production data, running times, production credits, language
of the production, and distribution information; but also sections on special film collections across the country and additional resources.
Another project that the FVC worked on was developing the website, Native Networks / Redes Indigenas, which reflected the live meetings and workshops that the FVC organized
for filmmakers attending the NAFVF.
Rights:
Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2032; Transferring office; 06/23/2017 memorandum, Toda to Brill; Contact reference staff for details.
