In a state that erased its tribes, Cleveland’s film fest brings Native voices home: Nancy Kelsey

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There is no Northeast Ohio event I look forward to more than the Cleveland International Film Festival, which will take place at Playhouse Square from March 27 to April 5.

For me, CIFF’s highlight is the Indigenous Cinema sidebar. This year’s lineup explores a gamut of complex issues important in the Native community that rightfully deserve greater visibility. They range from the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women to the generational impact of American Indian boarding schools to the harms of extractive industries on Indigenous lands and waters.

As a born and raised Clevelander who is half-Anishinaabe and half-Salvadoran, I see the critical necessity of these films for our region — perhaps now more than ever.

I grew up in this city, a city that for so long embraced a racist anti-Indigenous sports mascot. I grew up in this state, one that so effectively displaced its original inhabitants that there are no longer any federally or state recognized tribes left within its borders. And at a time when disingenuous so-called colorblindness is a popular political strategy for sowing division, it is vital to share these important stories about the Indigenous experience to enrich the knowledge of non-Indigenous folks and amplify the voices of Native people who are so often marginalized on the lands of our ancestors.

This year’s Indigenous sidebar includes:

• If An Owl Calls Your Name – This film’s community partner is the Lake Erie Native American Council, which is a testament to the significance of its subject matter. It examines an issue very personal to me. The film is centered on the trauma stemming from one Indigenous family’s experience at residential schools. My father and my grandmother were both forcibly placed in American Indian boarding schools. I will forever carry the grief of our loss of culture, traditions, knowledge and spirituality that died in those schools, even though my dad and grandma are survivors. This film screens at 5:15 p.m. April 1, which will be its world premiere.
• Missing From Fire Trail Road – Indigenous women are more likely to go missing or get murdered than any other group of people in the United States. Despite this, according to a Brookings Institute survey of non-Native people, more than 52% of people had never heard of this issue. This film explores a specific case of a Native woman who disappeared in Washington, leaving her family searching for answers. Based on its description, what I am eager to see on-screen in Cleveland is an exploration of the complex roots of the issue, from tribal jurisdiction to discrimination against Indigenous women. This film screens March 28 at 5:10 p.m.
• Standing Above the Clouds – The interconnectedness of Indigenous people and their homelands is deep and intrinsic. This film explores the relationship Indigenous Hawaiians hold with Mauna Kea, a mountain they regard as sacred, and the fight to protect it. It’s a feeling I can relate to, as an Indigenous person on both sides of my parentage. When I am in my people’s homelands, along the Grand River in Michigan or in western El Salvador, there is a connection and peace that I cannot fully describe. Catch this film on March 30 at 12:10 p.m.
• UNEARTH - This documentary shines a light on the problematic impact on Indigenous peoples’ when the health of the lands and waters they have called home for millennia are threatened by extractive industries like mining, as well as colonialism. Specifically, this film delves into how the Pebble Mine endangers Native Alaskans, who have called Bristol Bay home since time immemorial. This film has two showings: 9:30 a.m. March 29 and 5:10 p.m. March 30.
• Free Leonard Peltier - The story of the imprisonment of American Indian Movement activist Leonard Peltier is complex and controversial. Recently, Peltier’s life sentence for the murder of two FBI agents during the volatile AIM movement of the 1960s was commuted, and he now lives in North Dakota on the Turtle Mountain Reservation. This film will show at 7:40 p.m. April 1.
• Pow! - Since much of the Indigenous sidebar tackles intense subject matter, I love that there is a light-hearted animated flick in the mix. This short film, part of the Family Day Shorts program, follows a kid at an intertribal powwow who races to charge his dying video game console. It will show at noon on Saturday, April 5 and will be available on CIFF Streams.

The thought and intention behind this selection of Indigenous narratives speaks volumes about CIFF’s commitment to sharing a comprehensive array of stories with Northeast Ohioans. Representation is important.

“This year’s Indigenous sidebar films at CIFF offer a powerful glimpse into the resilience, struggles and triumphs of Indigenous communities,” said Mallory Martin, CIFF’s artistic director. “These films not only educate but also inspire solidarity, urging audiences to reflect on how history, policy and culture shape the lives of Indigenous people today.”

CIFF is a vibrant gem in the cultural landscape of Northeast Ohio –- one we are so fortunate to have. I hope to see you there.

A Clevelander from the Slavic Village neighborhood, Nancy Kelsey started her career in journalism before working in communications. Her biggest loves are her husband, family, dogs, volunteering, traveling, writing, learning about other cultures and sharing her own. You can reach her at nancy.kelseyPD@yahoo.com.