Native films in Palm Springs

See culture on celluloid at 7th Annual Festival of Native Film and CultureFor his film, Peter Campbell united two artists in the same field from vastly different parts of the world: Papua New Guinea and British Columbia.

"I think (my film) 'Killer Whale and Crocodile' speaks to the power of art to connect different cultures on a deep level," said Campbell via e-mail. "The water imagery is ever-present, and to bring that powerful element to the desert I think is very compelling."

First-time director Gwendolen Cates uses art to communicate in her film, "Water Flowing Together," about gay Navajo ballet dancer Jock Soto.

"I was drawn to film because I wanted to be able to tell a story at more length, in more depth," said Cates, a photographer who lives in New York.

"Our Land, Our Life," examines the land rights of two Western Shoshone women as they struggle to continue their ranching tradition. Directed by George and Beth Gage, the film will be making its North American premiere in Palm Springs.

"We see (our) film as a call to action in many ways," the filmmakers e-mailed from Telluride, Colo. "We feel the Palm Springs area may be fertile ground for support for the issues raised by our film."Comment:  For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.