Cherokee Film

26/09/2025

As the community engagement coordinator on the Cherokee Film Commission team, Bailey is passionate about sharing the services and opportunities available for filmmakers in the Cherokee Nation Reservation and the state of Oklahoma. She enjoys connecting with new people, attending career fairs, sharing educational opportunities and local film events. Her role is crucial to building relationships, sharing resources and selling the Cherokee Nation Reservation as an all-inclusive destination for filmmaking.

If you’re passionate about where you live, Bailey says you’re already an ideal candidate to work for your local film commission! She stresses building relationships with people in your community. To be successful, it is important to encourage others to invest in opportunities the film industry can offer for economic development, tourism and more.

22/09/2025

On this day 128 years ago, Cherokee citizen Katherine Alexander was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Katherine was best known as an excellent character actress. She often played the parts of a society lady, and occasionally a suffering wife or dignified mother. She was a talented performer who alternated between drama, tragedy and comedy with ease. Before making it to the big screen, Katherine originally brought her acting talent to the theater stage, establishing a fruitful career as a leading lady on Broadway. This eventually led to her securing roles as a supporting actress in Hollywood movies.

Today, she is known for performing alongside great stars like Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Cary Grant and John Barrymore. Sharing the stories of performers like Katherine Alexander reminds us that Cherokee talent has always been a part of the film industry, making lasting impacts on and off the screen.

19/09/2025

Cherokee Film is proud to sponsor Rez Film Club, a new series at Circle Cinema.

Join us Thursday, September 25 for a free screening of “Remaining Native.” This powerful documentary follows Ku Stevens, a young long-distance runner navigating his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete while carrying the legacy of his great-grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school.

Stick around after the screening for a Q&A with “Remaining Native” filmmaker Paige Bethmann. You don’t want to miss this moving story of endurance, identity and the unbreakable ties between past and present.

Learn more about Rez Film Club and this screening at: https://pulse.ly/akjgop8bjd

18/09/2025

One year ago today, we celebrated the expansion of Studio B! 🥳 This milestone added to our purpose-built facilities, strengthening our ability to serve all cinematic and commercial production needs in the region.

We're proud to provide professional, industry-level infrastructure to support the rapidly growing film industry in the state of Oklahoma, while also making a positive economic impact in the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

17/09/2025

Aloha is more than a greeting to Native Hawaiians. It is a way of life.

In “Dear Aloha” directed by Cris Romento (Hawaiian), Native Hawaiians reflect on feeling the power of Aloha in their hearts, even from thousands of miles away. This short documentary follows two Native Hawaiians living in the Pacific Northwest as they reflect on how Aloha sustains them amidst distance, loss and longing. Meanwhile, back in Hawaii, local residents grapple with the reality of being displaced from their homeland.

“Dear Aloha” is a powerful meditation on home, tradition and belonging. Learn more about the meaning of Aloha here: https://bit.ly/DearAloha

15/09/2025

Taika Waititi (Te Whanau-ā-Apanui/Mãori) has shattered stereotypes on and off the big screen. He is the first Indigenous filmmaker to win an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his unique work that often blends humor, heart and authenticity.

His projects like “Reservation Dogs” and “Next Goal Wins,” uplift Indigenous and Native American voices. They expand how these characters are portrayed beyond the mystical or stoic tropes that have defined us for decades. This is why it is important to challenge the small boxes we are often placed in and fight for representation that reflects the full, rich spectrum of Native life.

14/09/2025

Applications for Cherokee Film Institute close Monday, September 15!

FINAL REMINDER to apply to be a part of 2026 classes at Cherokee Film Institute! Applications close Monday, Sept. 15.❗

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from industry professionals, build your skills, network with creatives and take your love for film from passion to profession. 🎬 💪

The window for applications is closing soon! Apply now at: www.cherokeefilminstitute.com/apply

11/09/2025

Don't miss your opportunity to apply!

The Directors Elevation Program, a collaboration between Cherokee Film and Amazon MGM Studios, is accepting applications until September 12. Don't miss your chance at this amazing opportunity to match on the set of an Amazon MGM Studios production to observe, learn, develop and elevate.

If you are an emerging director, your time is now!

Learn more and apply now at: https://cherokee.film/directors/

08/09/2025

“Douk” tells a harrowing story of identity and resistance. The short was directed by Michelle Hernandez (Wiyot). She grew up on the Table Bluff Reservation, the place where she found her love for filmmaking.

“Douk” Is a period drama that takes place in the 1910s. The film tells a story of a young Native girl, Irene, who contends with the difficult reality of her and her sister being separated from their family to attend boarding school, thereby assimilating into western culture. To prevent their children from losing their language, culture and traditions, Irene’s parents hatch a plan to save them.

Films like “Douk” give a voice to stories that are seldom told. View this powerful reflection on the history of Native American boarding schools at: https://bit.ly/DoukFilm

Wiyot Tribe Wiyot Tribe Cultural Department

02/09/2025

The Directors Elevation Program offers the opportunity of a lifetime for emerging directors.

This program pairs promising directors with seasoned professionals working on Amazon MGM Studios projects. By combining mentorships and practical experiences, this program offers many benefits that allow participants to make industry connections and gain visibility in the film industry.

Apply now at: www.cherokee.film/directors

31/08/2025

Did you know one of the great minds behind the musical “Oklahoma!” was Cherokee?

Lynn Riggs was born three miles southwest of Claremore in Indian Territory. He left home in his early 20s, but he never stopped writing plays and poems about his birthplace. It wasn’t easy being a small-town Cherokee boy. His work often reflected the harsh reality of frontier life in Indian Territory with themes of isolation, loneliness and passion.

In 1928, supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship, Riggs spent the winter in the south of France, writing “Green Grow the Lilacs.” It wasn’t until 1942 when Theatre Guild announced it was planning to adapt the play into a new musical, replacing its folk songs with original compositions. This musical would go on to become the iconic “Oklahoma!”

In 1955, “Oklahoma!” was adapted into a blockbuster film that received two Academy Awards, solidifying Lynn Riggs’ revolutionary storytelling. Learn more about his storied journey as a Cherokee author, poet, screenwriter and playwright in this special story on OsiyoTV: https://youtu.be/-fro_AIqOeQ?si=rYyAzeQ5VtS1Z6PK

30/08/2025

That’s a wrap on Cherokee National Holiday! Wado ᏩᏙ, thank you, to everyone who visited us — including Wes Studi!

We enjoyed connecting with our community in downtown Tahlequah and sharing updates about Cherokee Film Institute, Cherokee Film Commission and OsiyoTV. Our own Language Revitalization Manager Roy Boney also led a Cherokee Talk at the Durbin Feeling Language Center about bringing the Cherokee language to projects like "Let's Talk Cherokee" and "ᎾᏍᎩ ᏕᎦᏕᏯᏍᏛ ᎤᏟᏂᎩᏓ: The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power.”

Moments like remind us why it is important to celebrate and amplify Cherokee stories in every form. We’re grateful for the support of our community and look forward to celebrating again next year!