PEMBROKE – The fourth annual Lumbee Film Festival returns to the big screen with 18 new films from Indigenous filmmakers screened over two days at the Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub on Main Street.
This year’s festival is presented by the North Carolina Museum of Art and features live music, movies, food, and camaraderie. The festival opens on September 17 with an outdoor screening of “RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World,” an electrifying look at Native American influence in popular music – despite attempts to ban, censor and d ‘erase Indian culture.
The film reveals how the early pioneers of blues and jazz had Native American roots, and how artists like North Carolina’s Link Wray helped define its evolution and forever change the trajectory of rock’n’roll.
Ahead of the film, Charly Lowry, a native of Robeson County and a member of the Lumbee Tribe, will perform a mix of his well-known songs and new works. Lowry appears in “RUMBLE” with mentor Pura Fé and many other well-known Lumbee musicians.
Lowry first gained international recognition as an American Idol semi-finalist in 2004, but has since built an following for his unique, energetic and captivating performances. She is also active as an advocate for Native American rights and women’s rights.
“Each year the Lumbee Film Festival gets better and better,†said Kim Pevia, the festival’s founding director. “I am so excited about this year’s lineup of short and feature films. Some are traditional and others take us off the beaten track. Some are local and some are far away. Just like in real life. Something for everyone. Come join us. You’ll be glad you did. “
The festival is organized through a partnership between the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and the Cucalorus Film Foundation, with the aim of presenting films made by American Indians while raising awareness of the heritage of Native artists. The festival creates a platform for emerging Indigenous artists, especially those working in the Southeastern United States.
Three blocks of shorts will be screened at the Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub on September 18 starting at 2 p.m., with the block of shorts “The Sun Shines, The Water Flows”, which includes films from Lumbee’s youth, such as “Climate Change », Directed by Leanna and Ethan Deese, produced as part of the Unlocking Silent Histories project. The film explores climate change and its implications for local and global communities.
Films by the Canadian collective Wapikoni Mobile, which use the media to raise awareness of Indigenous cultures, issues and rights, will also be screened in the block.
The “Roots Run Deep†short block begins at 3:30 pm and includes the poetic and observational documentary “Concrete 49†by LFF Alum Justin Deegan. The short film is a subtle and effective examination of the lives of indigenous people living in New York City.
The block of short films “All My Relations†brings together five dramatic works to close the afternoon’s inquiry into Aboriginal short-form cinema.
Several short films showcasing Lumbee culture will also be screened during the festival.
“Lumbee Accent,†directed by Gabby Maynor and Lexie Caulder, will examine the prevalence of the Lumbee accent and how it affects its speakers. This film explores the concept of code change and how it affected the indigenous language.
Members of the Lumbee Tribe will discuss the importance and relationship to the Lumber River in the movie “Lumber River”, directed by Denise Hunt.
A special screening of “The Trancscenders”, a feature film by Montana Cypress (Miccosukee tribe of Florida Indians) will be screened immediately following an awards ceremony at 8 pm on September 18 at the Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub. The film follows the struggles of two brothers who find a cure that promises to “transform their primitive behavior” as they transition from city life, which is vastly different from their upbringing on the reserve.
Directors Catherine Oxendine and Nolan Oxendine will address issues of colorism and how the Lumbee Indians come in different shades in the film “The Lumbee Indians: The Color of the Sun”.
For tickets, passes and the full festival program, visit https://www.cucalorus.org/lumbee-film-festival/. The Lumbee Film Festival is a partnership between the Lumbee Tribe of NC, the Cucalorus Film Foundation, ARRAY, SouthArts and the NC Arts Council.
