The fifth annual Indigenous Film & Arts Festival, October 7-13, 2008 presents over twenty films from Native peoples around the world.Whether your taste runs to serious documentaries or more light-hearted fare, you're sure to find something to enjoy.The Festival opens on October 7th at the University of Denver (7:00 p.m. in Davis Auditorium) with a free screening of Making the River, the true story of Jimi Simmons charged with murdering a prison guard while serving time in Walla Walla prison. This riveting documentary traces Jimi's life from early childhood to his incarceration, his search for Indian identity within the prison, his death penalty trial, and life after prison. Institutionalized by the state for most of his life, Jimi's story is one of tragedy transformed. JIMI SIMMONS WILL BE ON HAND TO SPEAK WITH THE AUDIENCE AFTER THE FILM.

On October 8th the Festival partners with Museo de las Americas for a special Festival edition of CineManteca. The program at Museo (861 Santa Fe Drive) celebrates the indigenous roots of the Latino community with three films from Mexico. Radio Chanul Pom profiles an indigenous, community-based radio station in the mountains of Chiapas broadcasting in Tzeltal and Tzotsil. Suenos Binacionales/Bi-National Dreams, which recounts the bi-national experience of indigenous immigrants from Oaxaca --the stories of the Mixtec people immigrating to California for more than three decades, and the more recent stories of the Chatinos immigrating to North Carolina for the past ten years. Re-encuentros: Entre la memoria y la Nostalgia tells the story of artist Alejandro Santiago who returned to his Zapotec village after a decade abroad, to find abandoned houses, empty streets and deserted farm fields. His sense of emptiness inspired him to create 2501 Migrants a symbolic community of life-size clay sculptures in homage to those who left.

Our Spirits Don't Speak English: Indian Boarding School, from award winning Rich-Heape Films will screen at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora on Thursday, October 9th (7:00 p.m. in Shore Auditorium, Nighthorse Campbell Building). Senator Suzanne Williams will offer the welcome at this free screening. When it began in 1879, the philosophy of the Indian boarding school system was "to kill the Indian and save the man." The film presents the compelling stories of many educators and former and current students at the schools. For those unfamiliar with this dark chapter of American history, it will be an eye-opening experience. A panel discussion after the film will focus on the inter-generational impacts of the boarding school experience and the healing process.

On Friday, October 10th the Festival is partnering with the Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce to host a Poster Contest Art Exhibit & Filmmaker Reception (5:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the Tivoli Building at Auraria Campus). Student artwork from the Institute of American Indian Art (IAIA) submitted to the contest for this year's Festival poster will be on display. Directors Jeana Francis and Nigel Long Soldier from IAIA will be on hand to talk about their film Future Warrior, screening with our program of Short Films from North America at 7:00 p.m. at Starz Film Center. The Festival continues at Starz on October 11th with a program of Short Films from Canada, New Zealand and Australia. On Sunday, October 12th the Festival partners with the Colorado Aloha Festival in Longmont (Vance Baird Civic Auditorium) for a day of free events. Na Kamalei: The Men of Hula will be presented as a free screening at 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. with filmmaker Lisette Marie Flanary on hand to talk about her film. The Festival wraps up on Monday, October 13th with a screening of Indigenes (Days of Glory)in partnership with the Alliance Francaise Cine-Club (7:00 p.m. Starz FilmCenter). The film tells the story of the heroes that history forgot - the native Algerians who fought with the Free French in WWII. Untold for over 60 years, their story is finally brought to light by a French-Algerian director whose grandfather was one of the 130,000 soldiers from North Africa fighting with the Free French Army. A film so powerful, it changed the course of history, convincing French President Jacques Chirac to reinstate the pensions of the "Indigenes" who fought for France.

The Festival presents a broad range of films by and about indigenous peoples, from hard-hitting documentaries to sci-fi visions of the future. The films address themes of culture, identity and place, raising awareness of issues from the perspectives of indigenous peoples from around the world: American Indian, Canadian First Nations, Native Hawaiian, Australian Aboriginal, Maori, and native peoples in Mexico, Central and South America. Presented by the International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management, the Festival is a rare opportunity to meet artists and filmmakers and to see authentic images of indigenous peoples expressed in art and film. "We're involved because good film, and especially film written, made and directed by indigenous peoples is perhaps the most expressive medium we have for communicating messages about who were, who we are, and who we strive to become," says Institute President Mervyn Tano.

For more Festival information please visit www.iiirm.org. Photos/interviews can be arranged.