2020 Native American Feature Film Writers Lab Fellows

  Los Angeles, CA – The LA Skins Fest, a Native American film festival, in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal, The Walt Disney Studios, California Community Foundation, Topple, Cherokee Nation Film Office and Sony Pictures Entertainment announced they have selected 7 fellows for the 3rd Annual Native American Feature Film Writers Lab, a talent development program that aims to boost the careers of Native American writers.

    Now entering its third year, the Native American Feature Film Writers Lab is an annual program for talented and aspiring screenwriters. Over the course of 10 weeks, chosen fellows develop a new screenplay, meet with partner industry organizations and receive feedback on their scripts from industry professionals.

    “As the call for diverse voices increases, the Barcid Foundation seeks to develop and bolster our communities best and brightest,” Ian Skorodin, Barcid Foundation Chief Executive Officer noted. “Our aim is to provide unique, groundbreaking and forward-thinking programs, such as the Feature Film Writers Lab, to make this a reality.”

     The Native American Feature Film Writers Lab received numerous applicants from several tribes throughout North America. The chosen fellows will take part in a ten-week curriculum curated by seasoned writing executives. The lab will consist of daily workshops, seminars and one-on-one mentoring to help each writer develop and complete a screenplay in ten weeks and hone skills to prepare the participants for studio writing opportunities. At the end of the program, each participant will have completed an original screenplay and will take creative meetings with our corporate partners.

     The Native American Feature Film Writers Lab was created to expand the number of Native Americans working behind the camera to increase fair and accurate portrayals of Native Americans in film. According to the Writers Guild of America’s 2020 Inclusion Report, “of more than 2,000 screenwriters employed in 2019, only 27% were women and just 20% were people of color…Native/Indigenous screenwriters having almost no representation at all.”

     “Our mission at Topple is lifting up marginalized voices and using the power of storytelling to ignite an intersectional revolution. It is our honor to partner with the LA Skins Fest and have the chance to work with these talented writers to bring their voices to the table.” Stated artist and activist Joey Soloway.

Meet the 2020 Native American Feature Film Writers Lab Fellows: 

Morningstar Angeline (Chippewa Cree/Blackfeet)

Chris Jenkins (Cherokee)

Randi LeClair (Pawnee Nation)

Cara Jade Myers (Kiowa/Wichita)

Scott Pewenofkit (Kiowa)

Cole Randall (Muskogee Creek)

Matthew Rochester (Eastern Band of Cherokee)

At the end of the program, each fellow will have completed a feature film script and will take creative meetings with various executives. Our selectees will be invited to participate in the 9th Annual Native American Writers Pitch Fest as part of the 14th Annual LA SKINS FEST in November.

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