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UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE VISUAL SOVEREIGNTY AND INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVALS: A CASE STUDY ON THE NATIVE CROSSROADS FILM FESTIVAL A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS BY CAITLIN SEVERS Norman, Oklahoma 2019 VISUAL SOVEREIGNTY AND INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVALS: A CASE STUDY ON THE NATIVE CROSSROADS FILM FESTIVAL A THESIS APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY BY Dr. Kimberly Marshall, Chair Dr. Lucas Bessire Dr. Daniel Swan © Copyright by Caitlin Severs 2019 All Rights Reserved. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... viii Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Visual Sovereignty and Indigenous Film Festivals ..................................................................... 4 The Iterations of Culture and Visual Sovereignty ....................................................................... 7 Indigenous Media Movement & Indigenous Film Festivals ..................................................... 16 Indigenous Film Festivals as Anthropological Sites ................................................................. 21 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 27 Chapter 1: The Native Crossroads Film Festival .......................................................................... 29 Intention of Design: Becoming a Crossroads ............................................................................ 30 Sponsors’ Role: Webs of Relationships .................................................................................... 35 Marketing: Program Guides ...................................................................................................... 38 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 49 Chapter 2: The Films .................................................................................................................... 52 Increasing Awareness ................................................................................................................ 55 Encourage Activism and Advocacy: Bodies in Motion ............................................................ 65 Creating Inspiration: Rhythms .................................................................................................. 70 Conclusion: Curation and Network Building ............................................................................ 74 Chapter 3: Methods Part 1-Interviewees’ Reactions .................................................................... 77 v Increasing Awareness ................................................................................................................ 79 Encouraging Activism and Advocacy ....................................................................................... 84 Emotional Connections ............................................................................................................. 91 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 97 Chapter 4: Methods Part 2-Panel Discussions ............................................................................ 100 Visual Sovereignty .................................................................................................................. 103 Bodies In Motion ..................................................................................................................... 109 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 117 Conclusion: Future Directions .................................................................................................... 119 References ................................................................................................................................... 124 vi TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1. Native Families, Native Futures Program Guide. Courtesy of Native Crossroads. ...... 39 Figure 2. Homelands Program Guide. Courtesy of Native Crossroads. ....................................... 41 Figure 3: Women’s Voices, Women’s Visions Program Guide. Courtesy of Native Crossroads .. 43 Figure 4: Elements Program Guide. Artwork by Hock E. Aye Edgar Heap of Birds. Courtesy of Native Crossroads ..................................................................................................................... 45 Figure 5: Bodies In Motion Program Guide."Not So Fast Kemo Sabe" by Steven Paul Judd. Courtesy of Native Crossroads. ................................................................................................ 48 vii ABSTRACT This thesis is an ethnographic documentation of the Native Crossroads Film Festival, an annual multi-day cultural event in Norman, Oklahoma that features a selection of indigenous films. I argue throughout this thesis that The Native Crossroads Film Festival creates an interrelated and complex arena for the engagement with and enactment of visual sovereignty. Through its component parts – the organization of the festival, the films featured, the audience members, and the panel discussions the Native Crossroads Film Festival expands the scope of visual sovereignty beyond what Indigenous filmmakers themselves create. In conducting my research, I used several interconnected methods, including participant observation during two of the festivals, data analysis on four student interviews, and coded data analysis on the 2017 footage taken of the series of panel discussions attended by the Indigenous directors, producers, actors, University of Oklahoma professors and visiting professors. Two overarching themes I identified include Increasing Awareness and Encouraging Activism and Advocacy. I argue that these themes are methods of enacting a type of interdependent sovereignty by engaging the audience and broader communities with the vision of the filmmakers and the festival committee. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS While there are many people whom I want to thank for their support, kindness, and encouragement in my academic endeavors; these individuals and organizations have my profound gratitude for helping me achieve this success. I thank my thesis chair, Dr. Kimberly Marshall, and committee members Dr. Lucas Bessire and Dr. Daniel Swan for their guidance and mentorship through the process of my thesis development. I thank the Associate Dean, Dr. Sherri L. Irvin, for advice navigating to graduation promptly. I thank Dr. Anthony P. Natale for filling in the role as my academic counselor to envision my path to completion. I thank my interviewees and classmates, Heidi Hilts, Dakota Larrick, Zoe Nichols, and Joleen Scott, for their patience and contribution to my research. I am in gratitude for Dr. Joshua Nelson for our communication about The Native Crossroads Film Festival and Karl Schmidt for access to the 2017 panel discussion footage. I acknowledge the entire staff of the University of Oklahoma’s Writing Center for their valuable feedback. I appreciate the diligent staff of the University of Oklahoma libraries for, without them, I would not have access to the research materials I needed. I thank Rebecca M. Eden and Ryun Haugaard for their support as mentors and dear friends. Without their advice and encouragement, I would have given up the pursuit of a Masters’ Degree in Anthropology. I thank Hon. Janet Frye Steele retired judge and Thomas J. Steele, Jr., Esq. for their faith and support in continual development as a person and a scholar. Finally, I express my ever-lasting gratitude to my parents, Walter C. and Cheryl L. Severs, for their love and patience. Without their unquestioned support, loving home, and encouragement to explore unfamiliar territory I could never have grown into the woman who is proud to be their daughter. 1 Introduction When a visitor walks into the Native Crossroads Film Festival, they have different sensations of what the film festival is like. For instance, if someone came to the Sam Noble Natural History Museum’s auditorium during the morning session, the atmosphere is quiet, and the ten or twenty people present are sitting all over. Towards the afternoon, (especially during the musical performances in the 2018 Native Crossroads), more people are attending the event, about double or triple the morning sessions. Moreover, during the evening features, many of the seats are filled with University of Oklahoma students and faculty, and the friends and family of the filmmakers and actors. The Sam Noble Museum auditorium can fit 200 people at the most. However, if someone waited until the last feature to attend the 2018 Native Crossroads Film Festival, they would have been surprised to find that they would have to stand during Rumble: Indians Who