Native Americans In The 21st Century
Local Bay Area Filmmaker tapped to Direct and DP 90
minute National PBS documentary.
James M. Fortier, owner of Turtle Island Productions,
recently returned from Cherokee, NC after directing and shooting a 90-minute
episode of the National PBS documentary series tentatively titled "Native
Americans in the 21st Century." The series is being produced by Native
American Public Telecommunications, a member of the minority consortia of
CPB, with support from PBS. The series is the first in-depth look at the
contemporary American Indian experience from the perspective of diverse
American Indian communities across the country.
This episode focuses on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians between the
Smokey Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains National Parks. The EBCI are the
descendents of little more than 1000 Cherokees who refused to remove to
Indian Territory in Oklahoma on the infamous Trail of Tears, whereby thousands
died during the forced march. The EBCI literally hid out in the mountains
of south-western North Carolina and eventually obtained Federal and State
legal status and a land base of their own.
The production is also the first of it's kind to be produced, written, directed,
and in this case, shot by an entirely American Indian crew of filmmakers.
Fortier, who has spent nearly 15 years as a Lighting Director, Gaffer, and
DP in the Bay Area before writing, producing, and directing documentaries,
is Métis-Ojibway (mixed French-Canadian and Ojibway descent) with
strong ties to his Ojibway family in Ontario Canada. Fortier has worked
on numerous Native American productions in the US and Canada, and his documentary
"Alcatraz Is Not An Island" screened at the 2001 Sundance Film
Festival, and is premiering on National PBS in November, 2002 (KQED, Nov.
5 at 9 PM).
For more info contact James Fortier at 650-738-9105 or e-mail at jfortier@turtle-island.com.
"American Lynching: Strange and
Bitter Fruit"
James Fortier is currently the Co-Producer and Director
of Photography for the documentary feature American Lynching: Strange And
Bitter Fruit, produced and directed by Gode Davis. For more information
go to www.americanlynching.com
"I is Not for Indian"
Turtle Island Productions is now developing a new one
hour documentary tentatively titled "I" is not for Indian. This
documentary for public television will examine the controversial issue of
how Native American histories, cultures, issues, and historic Indian-white
relations have been, and continually are still "taught" and presented
in the pubic school curricula across the country. Click
here to learn more about this project and how you can get involved as
an underwriter or contributor with your own stroy to tell regarding this
issue.
"Great Museums"
Turtle Island Productions owner and DP James Fortier
has shot two episodes of the PBS series "Great Museums" on HDTV
for Echo Pictures Executive Producer Marc Doyle. Additional location shooting
is planned for the coming spring and summer.
Native Nations Network
For Immediate Release:
Turtle Island Productions launches new Native American/First Nations Web Site.
Contact: James M. Fortier
Phone: 650-219-9105
Email: jmfortier@nativenationsnet.net or jfortier@turtle-island.comWeb:
www.nativenationsnet.net or www.turtle-island.com
Native Nations Network (NNN) is the first Native American and Canadian First
Nations global, on-line tribal village featuring the robust Post Nuke PHP
Content Management System. Our goal is to put the power of the internet
to positive use. Our mission is to provide an on-line, interactive gathering
of Indigenous peoples, to come together and share ideas, debate issues,
exchange information, and celebrate all Native cultures without borders
and unencumbered by distance. Native Nations Network will feature news,
editorials, essays, internet sources, and specialty sections focusing on
issues of sovereignty, treaty rights and activism. In short this site is
about self-determination, from Indian identity to sacred sites, from Indian
child welfare to repatriation, and from AIM to the National Congress of
the American Indian.
The site will also feature special interest group sections and forums for Native filmmakers, writers, journalists, musicians, artists, and more How are we different from other Native American internet news sources and weblogs? Simple, NNN is an interactive internet forum where the registered members contribute to the site. In essence the power and flexibility of Post Nuke PHP will allow registered members to customize the content, the layout, the delivery, and the interactivity that best suits their needs and contributes to the functionality and content of the site. Individual accounts and home pages for registered members can be easily set up allowing you to submit your own editorials, discuss and debate issues with other members, post poetry and other works of literature (e-publish), advertise your small business products and services, post press releases and community announcements, network with others in your profession or who share your interests, and so on. The possibilities are only as limited as the imagination. Everyone is welcome to browse the site, but registered members will have additional access such as posting capabilities. Soon, advanced features such as e-publishing documents above 1MB, streaming audio and video, posting Flash Animations, virtual art galleries and more will be available for a small monthly fee. In the meantime, basic membership is free, so register today to become part of the Native Nations Network global, on-line tribal village. If your company or organization is interested in supporting NNN with banner ads, side ads, or classified ads, please contact the NNN administrator at jmfortier@nativenationsnet.net or call 650-738-9105.
Miigwetch!
