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Great Native leaders appear to be overlooking contemporary Aztec dancers in a scene from Hummingbird, a short film that captures the spiritual power of ritual and tradition. The film was made by , an organization that aims to catalyze indigenous people and communities to use media as a tool for self-expression, cultural preservation, and social change.

Longhouse Executive Director Tracy Rector emphasizes the group’s mission to nurture Native artists who use both traditional and modern forms of storytelling: “Our stories define us. Indigenous people have the right to share their own experiences through their own lens.”

One of the ways Longhouse elevates Native stories is through a filmmaking project for tribal youth that is responsible for the acclaimed feature-length documentary March Point. Rector says the program has a positive impact for participants in many areas of their lives, such as academic success and overall self-esteem. Another program, the SuperFly Filmmaking Experience, a Longhouse and Seattle International Film Festival joint project, brings Native and non-Native youth together for filmmaking, storytelling, and cultural exchange.

Clearwater, a Longhouse documentary currently in production, shows how the Suquamish people, who have a strong relationship to the saltwater ecology of their home on Puget Sound, are responding to the environmental threat of ocean acidification.

Checkout this extended preview of Clearwater: