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Cherokee Nation Film Office Recognized For its Groundbreaking Community Work at The 14th Annual LA Skins Fest

CNFO awarded Hamilton Community Leadership Award

TULSA, Okla. – The Cherokee Nation Film Office was recognized Sunday with the Hamilton Community Leadership Award at the 9th Annual Native American Media Awards. The virtual awards ceremony was held in conjunction with the 14th Annual LA Skins Fest, which ran Nov. 18 – 22.

The award is bestowed upon tribes, organizations and individuals who show true and groundbreaking leadership in the film and TV community.

“For far too long Native Americans have been underrepresented in film and TV, comprising less than 1% of the industry,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “There’s opportunity here — opportunity for growth, opportunity for change, and opportunity for inclusivity and fair representation. That’s what our film office does. We invest in the future by partnering to attract filmmakers, funding scholarships to develop Native talent, and supporting community events that celebrate the Native American perspective. There’s a place for us in this industry, and not only do we have a story to tell, we have diverse Native talent ready to do so.”

LA Skins Fest is the premier Native American film festival and is presented by Comcast NBCUniversal. The annual event celebrates Indigenous people throughout North America by telling diverse stories, commemorating heritage and fostering dialogue on a variety of platforms.

“We’re incredibly honored to be recognized in this way, among such outstanding advocates and passionate, collaborative supporters,” said Jennifer Loren, director of the film office. “We’ve been fortunate to find partners that share our enthusiasm and call to add diversity and Native American representation to this industry, and together we’ve brought new opportunities to the table that support Natives and Native storytelling. We’re thankful for the unwavering support from Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., as well as the work of so many others who continue to champion the advancement of this industry.”

The Cherokee Nation Film Office launched in 2019 to increase the presence of Native Americans in every level of the film and television industries, while also creating opportunities for economic development and jobs in the Cherokee Nation.

Working hand in hand with the state and local film offices, the Cherokee Nation Film Office supports the growth of Oklahoma’s film industry by promoting northeast Oklahoma as a destination for filmmakers and serves as a cultural and historical consultant on film projects.

In addition to creating and promoting an environment that cultivates Native filmmaking and representation, the film office recently establishedthe first-ever Native talent, crew and business/support services databases.

“Now more than ever before, it is imperative that we come together to elevate the Native voice, develop Native talent and celebrate authentic storytelling,” Loren said. “While we celebrate the great progress we’ve made in recent years, we remain committed to the work ahead and look forward to a bright and promising future for Native filmmaking.”

Several Cherokee Nation citizens were honored throughout the awards ceremony as well, including Jeremy Charles, who was recognized with the Achievement in Filmmaking Award for his work writing and directing “Totsu” (Redbird). Nathalie Standingcloud received the NBCUniversal Rising Phoenix Award for Outstanding Performance for her lead role in “Totsu” (Redbird), and Tom Hanada was honored with the Achievement in Writing Award for his current roles in various TV and film projects.

For more information about the Cherokee Nation Film Office, please visit www.Cherokee.Film.

 

About LA SKINS FEST

The prestigious LA SKINS FEST ranks among the country’s best film festivals and is an annual gathering for film industry insiders, cinema enthusiasts, filmmakers, and critics. LA SKINS FEST is considered a major launching ground for Indian Country’s most talked about films. Our long‐standing commitment is to join filmmakers and film connoisseurs together to experience great Native America cinema. The LA SKINS FEST is a program of the Barcid Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non‐profit educational organization. Festival headquarters are in Los Angeles, CA. For more information, please visit www.laskinsfest.com.

Editor’s note: Find all the latest Cherokee Nation news at www.Anadisgoi.com.

About Cherokee Film

The mission of Cherokee Film is to reclaim Cherokee and Native narratives by increasing representation across film and media while creating an ecosystem that supports production and drives economic activity in the Cherokee Nation.

Cherokee Film is owned by Cherokee Nation Businesses, the board-governed holding company of the largest Native American tribe in the U.S. One-hundred percent of the company’s profits support future business investments and the well-being of the tribe’s citizens through health care, education and job creation, ensuring better lives for Cherokees today and tomorrow.

For more information, please visit Cherokee.film or follow Cherokee Film on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram.

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Whitney Dittman

Whitney.Dittman@cnbglobal.com

918.729.4495

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Michael Musante

Film & TV Finance and Development Executive

Michael is the executive in charge of film and TV finance and development at Cherokee Film. Prior to that, he was vice president of film production and acquisitions at American Zoetrope for more than seven years and a co-founder, along with Roman Coppola, of The Decentralized Pictures Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting independent filmmaking and filmmakers from underserved and underrepresented communities. He continues to serve on its board. He is an attorney, admitted to practice in New York and North Carolina, and received his Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2001. He practiced law for 10 years before becoming a full-time creative film producer. He has worked closely with such accomplished filmmakers as Roman Coppola, Sofia Coppola, Gia Coppola, Ted Kotcheff, Martha Coolidge, Fred Roos and Richard Chew before and during his time at American Zoetrope. During his tenure at American Zoetrope, he oversaw the development and production of several feature films: Gia Coppola’s “Mainstream,” starring Andrew Garfield, Maya Hawke, Nat Wolff and Jason Schwartzman; “Fairyland,” starring Emilia Jones and Scoot McNairy; as well as the production of “The Outsiders” musical, which debuted on Broadway at the Bernard Jacobs Theatre on April 11, 2024.

Todd Roberts

Soundstage Manager

Todd Roberts serves Cherokee Film as soundstage manager. He has more than 35 years of experience as a photographer and filmmaker. He is multi-passionate in skills and subject matter. He’s created more than 400 episodes of documentary-style television shows (“Doomsday Preppers,” “Man vs. Food Nation,” “Safari Hunter’s Journal,” “House Hunters International” and more) produced in 22 countries and airing nationally. Todd’s commercial films have served his clients well (American Express, Audi, Freightliner Trucks, Volkswagen, United Way, Walmart and many more). Todd’s productions have received numerous accolades (Addy Awards, Communicator Awards, Flame Awards, ITVA Awards, Summit Awards, Telly Awards, as well as awards from film festivals). While his skills and interests are broad, Todd’s overarching theme is the art of storytelling.

Maggie Cunningham

Pawnee Nation

Film Commissioner

Maggie Cunningham (Pawnee Nation) is a Regional Emmy-winning producer and the Cherokee Film Commissioner. Before joining the OsiyoTV team, Maggie worked in the museum and cultural heritage field. Her previous roles included positions as an archivist and tribal NAGPRA coordinator. She also spent time as a project manager for several Native-owned consultation and media production firms. She saw firsthand the impact an Indigenous narrative can have on a community during her time researching at Te Papa Tongarewa, the National Museum of Aotearoa (New Zealand). She continued to cultivate this focus in her years of cultural heritage work and storytelling. Her experience working within Native communities here in Oklahoma has only solidified her drive to tell authentic Native-led stories with the power and impact of film. Maggie holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in studio art and Native American studies. She earned her Master of Arts from New York University. Maggie resides in Tulsa with her family.

Hannah Roark

Cherokee Nation

Film & TV Development Specialist

Hannah Roark holds a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting from Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts and graduated with highest distinction from the University of Kansas, where she earned her bachelor’s degree with honors in English. She joined the Cherokee Film team in July 2022. Her prior film production experience includes work as an office production assistant, director’s assistant, production coordinator and associate producer. When she’s not at work, Hannah is writing screenplays, TV pilots, or collaborating in writers’ groups. She believes that every good story can be a great one.