In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Widoktadwen Center for Native Knowledge invites the public to attend screenings of Indigenous films in Reading and Kutztown during the month of November. The majority of films are free to attend.
The inaugural Indigenous Film Festival in November 2019 was created by Dr. Amanda Morris, professor of English at Kutztown University, to promote Native narratives and the overall visibility of today’s Indigenous peoples.
Invisibility, myths, and stereotypes about Native people are reinforced across society. Native Americans live in a culture where they are often misunderstood, stereotyped, and experience racism on a daily basis. The lack of accurate knowledge about Native Americans contributes to these experiences and hinders the ability of all Americans to experience and celebrate the unique cultural identities, histories, and contributions of Native peoples.
The festival has grown from a one-day event at Kutztown University to a month-long event across several venues in Berks. Public screenings are scheduled as follows:
Thursday, November 9th at 1 p.m. the film Gather will be showing at the Reading Public Museum. Free with museum admission.
Various short films on Indigenous fashion, feminism, and Two Spirits will be screening at Kutztown University on November 15th from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Film shorts are free and open to the public in the McFarland Student Union Multipurpose Room.
Tuesday, November 21st at 1:30 p.m. the film Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World will be screening at the Miller Center for the Arts at Reading Area Community College. Admission is free and open to the public. Discussion and refreshments to follow.
For the full schedule of films, visit widoktadwen.org/indigenous-film-festival/.
