13th Annual LA SKINS FEST Presented by COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAL Announces 2019 Event and Film Line Up During 6-Day Festival

Published November 15, 2019

LOS ANGELES — The LA SKINS FEST, presented by COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAL, announced today its full list of over 60 features and shorts that will be screened through the festival’s six-day run and annual Native American Media Awards at the Hard Rock Event Center in Hollywood (November 19th – 24th, 2019).

“We have seen Native Cinema grow into a genuine force with a voice that is finally being heard. Native filmmakers have been pushing creative limits, and will have the acknowledgement they richly deserve,” said Patricia Gomes, Executive Director of the LA SKINS FEST.

The entire festival line-up features over sixty Native American independent productions that represent hundreds of reservations, nations and tribal organizations from North and South America. This collection of indigenous films and filmmakers makes the festival a truly groundbreaking event. Of the movies being screened, more than 50 will see their world premieres, and all of them will have their Los Angeles premiere. The films screening in the festival were hand-selected from hundreds of submissions from around the world.

Full Schedule of Festival Events

On November 19th, 2019, Amazon Prime Video presents the LA SKINS FEST Opening Night Industry Mixer. Amazon Studios will host the event on the historic studio lot, in Culver City. This LA SKINS FEST mixer will celebrate Native American filmmakers, writers, actors and community leaders.

On Wednesday November 20th, the LA SKINS FEST will conduct the annual Native Writers Pitch Fest, sponsored by FilmLA. For this event, Native American writers will pitch creative executives, literary representation and our corporate partners. This is followed by an Original Content Panel, presented by Spectrum, that will offer advice on following up with executives, maximizing the pitch session and learning about the Spectrum Originals brand.

A staged reading of Native American scripts from the LA SKINS FEST Writers Labs will follow the panel, and concludes with a celebration and announcement of the fellows of the inaugural Native American Animation Lab in December of 2019, sponsored by COMCAST NBCUniversal, The Walt Disney Studios, Crunchyroll, Fullscreen, Rooster Teeth, Cartoon Network and Sugarshack Animation.

On Thursday November 21st 8pm, the LA SKINS FEST will host a free Casting and Audition Panel that will feature industry professionals and Native American actors Tantoo Cardinal (ABC’s Stumptown), Zahn McClarnon (HBO’s Westworld), and Sivan Alyra Rose (Netflix’s Chambers). Burgeoning indigenous actors will receive valuable information about working in film and television.

On Friday November 22nd, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present a special selection of short films from Native American filmmakers who are local to Los Angeles. Each film tackles hard topics, cultural questions and offers new insight into the indigenous community of Southern California.

On Saturday November 23rd, film programs will highlight Native American history, youth from around the US and female filmmakers. Topics addressed in the films range from Native American youth activism, learning to heal from trauma, and life on the reservation. A Q&A will follow each screening program.

Saturday night, the LA SKINS FEST celebrates the annual Awards Gala at the Hard Rock Event Center on Hollywood Blvd. Hosted by world-renowned Native actors Q’orianka Kilcher and Kiowa Gordon, this gala honors filmmakers from across Indian country and the great achievements in Native American cinema. The celebration features an exquisite banquet, live music and guest appearances from Native American actors presented by COMCAST NBCUniversal and the Paramount Network.

On Sunday November 24th, the LA SKINS FEST hosts the Second Annual Hollywood Pow Wow. On the courtyard of the TCL Chinese Theater, Native American dancers, drummers and singers will present a traditional dance, music and cultural performance.

The 2019 LA SKINS FEST closes the festival with a series of Native American short films that reflect the cultural diversity within Native America, and a special event in the Chinese Theater VIP lounge.