
- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
Los Angeles— Emerging Indigenous movie makers might want to take note that LA Skins Fest, a Native American film festival, has opened its call for its 2020 entries.
The 14th annual festival, which runs Nov. 17-22, is an initiative of the Native American non-profit Barcid Foundation and aims to showcase and champion rising Native filmmakers. The event is presented by Comcast NBCUniversal and held at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
Qualified filmmakers can submit their entries through the LA Skins Fest online entry form at laskinsfest.com or through filmfreeway.com. According to a press release, the festival celebrates “filmmakers whose original works are distinguished and offer a new voice in cinema.”
Deadlines to submit are:
Early Deadline: July 31, 2020
Regular Deadline: Aug. 28, 2020
Final Deadline: Sep. 18, 2020
This year, LA Skin Fest awards will be given to the following categories: Achievement in Narrative Filmmaking, Documentary, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, Animation, Writer, Director, Actor, Actress and Audience Award.
The week-long event not only premiers groundbreaking new Indigenous films, it also presents the 9th Annual Native Media Awards Celebration, hosts the 9th Writers Pitch Workshop and hosts Native American filmmakers from throughout North and South America.
Festival organizers said the accepted films are eligible for not only the competition, but also prizes from its corporate sponsors. This year, the festival is partnering with a roster of renowned entertainment brands, including: Walt Disney Studios, Bank of America, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Motion Picture Association, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Cast & Crew, Google American Indian Network, STARZ, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and more.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher