A night of indigenous filmmakers

Women in Film celebrates indigenous short filmsLast year, Women in Film presented the first Focus on International Short Films, an evening to screen the best short films from around the world.

The focus for this year’s event, “A Night to Celebrate Indigenous Filmmakers of the Americas,” narrows the spotlight to the creative minds of the Western Hemisphere. The directors and production crews of the seven lucky films that were selected will see their labor of love on the silver screen at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 25.The lineup of films:In “Conversion,” directed by Nanobah Becker, Christian missionaries visit a family in the remote Navajo desert during the 1950s with catastrophic results and an unpredictable outcome to the story.

“Rojo Red,” directed by Juan Manuel Betancourt, tells the story of how a shoestring leads a boy on a journey to discover the meaning of life.

Director Claudia Mercado honors her grandmother in the short “Lagrimas Del Café.”

“For the Next Seven Generations” director Carol Hart explores the life of 13 indigenous women elders, shamans and medicine women from around the world, and their travels abroad to share their wisdom and time-honored practices.

Dominique Jonard directed “Xani Xepica,” a story about a young Indian boy’s quest to prove himself worthy for his bride.

In the short “Native American Night Before Christmas,” directed by Gary Robinson, an age-old holiday classic takes on a new shape with animation that features the art of renowned Native artist Jesse Hummingbird.

Director Valerie Red-Horse was asked by the Choctaw Nation to make a documentary on the first known code talkers from World War I, and delivers in the short film “Telephone Warriors: The Story of the Choctaw Code Talkers.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.