What is Native Crossroads?
Native Crossroads is a unique film festival and symposium that focuses on international Indigenous media. The event puts academics, media creators, and community and tribal organization representatives into dialogue to advance our discussions in all these fields. At once entertaining, scholarly, and educational, each year’s event explores particular themes of pressing importance to Native people, globally and locally. Through the generous support of our many sponsors, all events are free and open to the public.
Where is the festival?
Screenings for the festival are held in new Norman Public Library Central, 103 W Acres St, Norman, OK 73069.
How can I support the festival?
Native Crossroads is free to the public, but it’s not free! You can help us bring the best in Indigenous media to Norman in several ways: through donations, by liking us on Facebook, telling your friends, and coming to the events! Donate here
Who organizes the festival?
Dr. Joshua B. Nelson
Dr. Nelson (Cherokee) is Director Film & Media Studies at OU, Associate Professor of English, affiliated faculty with Native American Studies, and, where he teaches American Indian literature and film. His book Progressive Traditions: Identity in Cherokee Literature and Culture appeared in 2014. He is at work on a book on representations of the body in Indigenous film. He is the lead organizer of the Native Crossroads Film Festival & Symposium, Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Directors of the SCMS, and Faculty Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion for the Center for Teaching Excellence.
Amanda E. Cuellar
Amanda E. Cuellar is a PhD candidate in the Department of English with an interest in border studies, Chicano literature, and Mexican cinema. Her dissertation project interrogates Gloria Anzaldúa’s notion of la frontera in contemporary Chicano texts. Her professional experience includes teaching freshman writing composition, technical writing, and serving as a graduate teaching assistant for the Film & Media Studies department. She has served as a volunteer for the Native Crossroads Film Festival since 2016 and is a co-programmer for this year’s event.
Dr. Amanda Cobb-Greetham
Dr. Cobb-Greetham (Chickasaw) serves as Coca Cola Professor and Director of Native American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Cobb-Greetham most recently served as an Associate Professor at Oklahoma State University. From 2007 to 2012, she served her tribe, the Chickasaw Nation, as the Administrator of the division of History and Culture. During her tenure, she curated and launched the state-of-the-art Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, OK. Her current research project, For Better, For Worse: Oklahoma’s American Indian Identity, examines the state of Oklahoma’s American Indian identity as it is manifested in popular culture, including commemorations, sculpture, performances, and museums beginning with the famous “marriage” of Miss Indian Territory to Mr. Cowboy Oklahoma on the steps of the Capitol at the time of statehood.
Karl Schmidt
Karl Schmidt is the Manager of the Digital Media Lab for the Film & Media Studies Program at the University of Oklahoma. He is a founding organizer of the Native Crossroads Film Festival and is a co-programer with Amanda Cuellar and Joshua Nelson for the 2018 and 2019 festivals. In addition to his programing duties, he handles the graphical, promotional, technological and media needs for the festival. Karl holds B.A.'s in Visual Anthropology, and New Media Photojournalism from Western Kentucky University. He is a noted wrangler of film directors.
Sunrise Tippeconnie
Sunrise Tippeconnie (Comanche/Navajo) started working with Native Crossroads with the integration of a concurrent media course in 2014. Additionally, he is a Lecturer in the Film & Media Studies department where he emphasizes courses in media production. He supports production coursework with on-set practice as an IATSE Local 484 member as well as in his own independent media work. He is currently in post-production on several fictional shorts that investigate Comanche identity and spirituality within the science-fiction and horror genres.