New Native Cinema: Indigenous Film Criticism in Focus

Industry Insights – The EFM Podcast is presented by the European Film Market of the Berlinale. Hosted by curator-producer Nadia Denton and industry analyst Johanna Koljonen, it delves deep into the rapidly evolving film industry.

This episode deals with the dearth of Indigenous film critics worldwide, and how this gap in the critical landscape impacts the way in which Indigenous-led films or films with casts from these communities are commented on, scored, critiqued, released and ultimately perform at the box office.

Leo Koziol is Founder and Director of the Wairoa Māori Film Festival in Aotearoa New Zealand. Leo Koziol is also the Indigenous Editor of Letterboxd where he compiled the 100 Native Directors, 100 Native Films to celebrate the new wave of Indigenous films and uncover the cinematic history of films by Indigenous directors. Leo is also a curator for NZIFF Whānau Mārama, producer at Nūhaka Film and former host of Kōrero Kiriata on Radio Waatea NZ. Writer, thinker, curator, creator. Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Kahungunu hard.

Leena Minifie is a Gitxaala/British (Tsimshian) artist, writer, curator and based in Vancouver, BC. She is the CEO of Stories First Productions. Leena specialized in Indigenous Studies and New Media at the Institute of American Indian Arts. Her experience producing media projects includes series, documentaries, webinars, radio broadcast, culture retention projects and news sites. She has worked as a journalist and is a co-founder of Ricochet.Media. Leena has deep experience in film, television, but focuses primarily on online digital campaigns and digital media strategy for social
impact.

David Hernández Palmar, Wayuu, IIPUANA, is a journalist, photographer, filmmaker, curator of Latin American and Caribbean film specializing in Indigenous film. A member of the Wayuu People Communications Network, David is also Director of the Indigenous Audiovisual Foundation Wayaakua, Curator and Programmer of the Wayuu Film and Video Showcase, Curator and Programmer of the International Indigenous Film Showcase of Venezuela MICIV, Political Advisor for Latin American Coordinator of Cinema and Communication of Indigenous Peoples CLACPI, Guest Curator for Daupará - Indigenous Film and Video Showcase in Colombia. David is former Advisor for special selection NATIVe of the Berlinale International Film Festival and a member of The Indigenous Media and Communication Caucus, a member of #ImaginacciónIndígena as well as a member of the Programmers of Colour Collective.

This podcast episode has been developed in partnership with imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.

The Berlinale’s European Film Market is the first international film market of the year, where the film industry starts its business. Industry Insights - The EFM Podcast puts a spotlight on highly topical and trendsetting industry issues, thereby creating a compass for the forthcoming film year. The second season of this year-round podcast is produced in cooperation with Goethe-Institut, and co-funded by Creative Europe MEDIA.