An article by Diandra “Dee” Martinez
Assistant Film Festival Director of NatiVisions Film Festival & CRIT Tribal Member
NatiVisions is an Indigenous film festival that provides a platform for Indigenous people to tell and share their stories through film, art, books, music, fashion, and other forms of creative expression. The festival is intended to provide greater visibility for Indigenous voices and create opportunities for Native filmmakers, artists, musicians, storytellers, and other creatives to share their work with the community.
One of the primary purposes of NatiVisions is to remind audiences that Indigenous people are still here and that our voices, experiences, creativity, and stories deserve to be seen and heard. The festival is free and open to everyone, making Indigenous film and cultural programming accessible to the community and visitors. Attendees have opportunities to watch films, experience music and fashion, learn about Indigenous cultures, and come together as a community.
NatiVisions is held at the Bluewater Resort & Casino Theater in Parker, Arizona, within the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) community. The festival is held annually towards the end of September. This year’s festival took place September 23–26. NatiVisions is traditionally held toward the end of September because it coincides with Native American Days in Parker, Arizona. Holding the festival during this time allows NatiVisions to be part of a larger period of community gathering and cultural celebration. It provides another opportunity for community members and visitors to come together and celebrate Indigenous culture, creativity, storytelling, and traditions.
NatiVisions provides a free, educational, cultural, and family-friendly experience that brings people together through Indigenous storytelling and creativity. The festival serves a broad and diverse community centered around Indigenous peoples of the South-west while welcoming visitors from Arizona, California, and beyond. Because the festival is held within the CRIT reservation, it provides an accessible cultural space where Indigenous community members can see stories and experiences represented on screen.
The CRIT community includes members of the Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, and Navajo tribes, while NatiVisions also welcomes filmmakers, artists, and attendees representing other Native nations. Festival participants and attendees include filmmakers, cultural leaders, artists, students, educators, youth, families, community members, and visitors. Non-Native attendees are also welcomed and have an opportunity to learn about Indigenous cultures and experiences through authentic storytelling created by Indigenous people. NatiVisions is more than watching films. The festival incorporates other activities and forms of cultural and creative expression, including music, fashion, art, and a frybread contest.
One of our goals is to bring filmmaking and Indigenous storytellers directly to our community, rather than requiring community members to travel elsewhere to experience these opportunities. By bringing Indigenous artists and diverse audiences together, Na tiVisions helps strengthen cultural connections while encouraging education, dialogue, creativity, and collaboration. NatiVisions is organized by a dedicated team of volunteers who work together to promote Indigenous film, art, culture, and storytelling.
Keith Moses – Film Festival Director
Diandra “Dee” Martinez – Assistant FilmFestival Director / Judge
Gina Chavez – Sponsorship Coordinator / Judge
Faith Rodiquez – Media Operations / Judge
Melani Rodiquez – Social Media Director / Judge
Derek Easley – Photographer & Media Advisor / Judge
Raven Garza – Festival Host
As a volunteer Assistant Film Festival Director and Judge, I help contribute ideas and recommendations for the festival each year. This includes discussing potential guests and participants, considering which films we would like to feature, reviewing films, and helping develop ideas for programming and activities. My role allows me to contribute to decisions about what we can bring to our community and how we can continue making the festival engaging, educational, and representative of Indigenous voices.
I have been involved with documentary projects and have assisted with producing documentaries. I also participated in a documentary in which I shared a personal experience from my childhood. When I was younger, I was part of a singing group that had the opportunity to travel to Hollywood to make an album. I was able to share that experience as part of a documentary project. The documentary was part of a larger CRIT five-part film series highlighting the stories and experiences of the community and the four tribes that make up CRIT. The five-part series is available to watch online. Being involved in documentary work has given me a personal understanding of how meaningful it can be for Indigenous people to have an opportunity to tell their own stories and preserve those experiences through film.
NatiVisions is important to me because it creates a place where Indigenous people can tell our own stories in our own voices. For me, the message behind the festival is simple: we are still here. Our cultures continue, our stories continue, and Indigenous people continue to create, accomplish, and contribute in film, music, art, fashion, literature, and many other areas. I am proud to volunteer with NatiVisions and help create an event that is free and accessible to everyone. It gives our community an opportunity to come together, learn, have fun, celebrate Indigenous creativity, and support the people who are telling our stories.