San Bernardino TV Station Premieres 'Native Shorts'

The First Nations Experience (FNX) Network premiered Native Shorts, presented by Sundance Institute’s Native American and Indigenous Program, on Christmas Eve on FNX, a subsidiary of the Inland Empire’s local PBS station KVCR. FNX is the nation’s first TV network dedicated to Native American and World Indigenous content, and Native Shorts marks the first full length non-documentary series produced in-house under the FNX brand. Native Shorts is a 12-episode series featuring short films that were produced, premiered or showcased at the Sundance Film Festival through its Native American and Indigenous Program. The series’ co-host team is Bird Runningwater, director of Sundance Institute’s Native American and Indigenous Program, and TV personality Ariel Tweto (Flying Wild Alaska, Wipe-Out). Each week they introduce a new short film and following the film presentation, Bird and Ariel share thoughts and comments about the film. The premiere of Native Shorts had a special holiday story and aired on Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve — at 6:30 p.m. on the FNX digital channel 24.2 and on KVCR at 7 p.m. on channel 24. This first episode was Ebony Society, a Christmas theme which focused on two boys who learn a lesson from stealing. This short film showcased talent from the Maori people of New Zealand, and was written and directed by Tammy Davis. Tweto, an Iñupiaq Eskimo, grew up in the small town of Unalakleet, Alaska. She became a pilot at a very young age and held a strong desire to leave the small town and travel to places far away, opting for adventure, which led her to television with her own show on the Discovery Channel, Flying Wild Alaska. Runningwater, whose roots are Cheyenne and Mescalero Apache, was reared on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico. Since 2001, he has guided the Sundance Institute’s investment in Native American screenwriters, directors and producers while building a global Indigenous film community. He has nurtured a new generation of filmmakers whose films have put native cinema on the cultural map. The partnership with FNX Television and the Sundance Institute has been an aspiration from the time FNX first launched in 2011. Runningwater reflected on the partnership. “A deal was reached, a partnership was formed and a TV show has actually been created that really highlights indigenous filmmakers and their work that most often doesn’t get seen because it’s a short film that shows at film festivals. Now it has a broader lifeline on FNX,” he said. “I want people to get excited about these short films,” stated Tweto. "I love promoting anything for our culture trying to inspire the younger kids. One of my goals is to inspire young Native Americans, teaching them anything is possible.”