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| Wes Studi is “Ronnie BoDean” in Steven Paul Judd’s film |
Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Historic Stranahan
House Museum Present “Native Reel Cinema Fest”
The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Seminole Paradise, and the Historic Stranahan House Museum present South Florida’s first “Native Reel Cinema Fest” during the Annual Seminole Tribal Fair and Pow Wow on Friday, February 5 at 5:30 pm and Saturday, February 6 at 5:00 pm at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The free screening of Steven Paul Judd’s film “Ronnie BoDean,” starring Wes Studi, will be presented in conjunction with an interactive session with the director. This event will help provide the platform of showcasing Native American talent through film.
“Native Reel Cinema Fest” will spotlight on native short films by Kiowa/Choctaw director and writer Steven Paul Judd. Wes Studi stars as the eponymous Ronnie BoDean, a larger-than-life outlaw who must shake off an epic hangover and use his considerable street knowledge to take on his greatest challenge yet – babysitting. Judd’s film presents the first Native American “anti- hero” allowing for a new opportunity to explore the culture’s representation in films. The film was financed by a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Judd is known primarily as a filmmaker; yet he’s also a prolific visual artist whose mashups of Native experiences and disposable American pop culture are sly and often downright funny. His creations include paintings, prints, poster art, photography and t-shirt designs.
The evening will include the presentation of the film accompanied by two of Spencer Battiest’s music videos also directed by Judd – “Love of My Life” and “The Storm”. Battiest is an American Indian singer-songwriter, musician, producer, and actor from Hollywood, Florida. In 2013, Spencer became the first American Indian artist to sign with Hard Rock Records. His music release song "The Storm" garnered his first music video win as a musician. The music video was filmed entirely on the Seminole Reservation in Florida highlighting historical tribal land, ancestry and culture. The song was written as a tribute to the Seminole tribe of Florida, and homage to his parents, grandparents and tribal leaders. Battiest will join Judd during the Q&A session.
The event is coordinated by Seminole Tribal Members and film co-producers,Everett Osceola and Oliver Wareham, with the support of April Kirk. Osceola serves as the Cultural Ambassador for the Seminole Tribe and is an educator sharing the importance of the Seminole culture as instilled by his family. Wareham serves as an Official Commissioner for Seminole Gaming and is a photographer and storyteller sharing the beauty of the Seminole culture through images and the spoken word. Kirk is the Executive Director of the Historic Stranahan House Museum and a painter. The team envisions bringing a larger multi-day Native American Film Festival to South Florida in the future - which will become the only one of its kind on the southeastern coast.
The portrayal of Native Americans in film has been fed by stereotypes, however, a growing number of pictures have portrayed indigenous peoples of the Americas in a more historically accurate light. In recent years, the growth of Native Americans in all avenues of the film industry has been substantial. There are only a few Native American film festivals in America, all of which take place in the mid and west coast of the country, with the exception of the Native American Film and Video Festival. The “Native Reel Cinema Fest” goal is to focus on films that can provide an in depth look into Native cinema in America.
The Seminole Tribe and the Stranahans have a long and mutually respectful relationship. Collaborative efforts between the two strive to bring an awareness and appreciation of Seminole Culture and how it has positively impacted the lives of areas first settlers. Programs work to preserve, interpret, and promote the two histories to residents and visitors alike.
Last year the Seminole Tribe and Stranahan House partnered under the leadership of Osceola and Kirk to bring “Seminole Cinema Night” to the Historic Stranahan House Museum. This was the first-ever local screening of the 1958 film, “The Exiles” produced by director Kent MacKenzie. The documentary, which was lost for nearly 50 years and restored in 2008, follows three Indian Americans who have left their reservations to live in downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row. The film reveals the complex social issues faced by these young teens and highlights many challenges that still exist today.
"They say pictures are worth a thousand words,” said Everett Osceola. “Native Reel Cinema Fest gives you the opportunity to experience our journey through our words and images.”
Native Reel Cinema Fest
Friday, February 5th at 5:30 pm and Saturday, February 6th at 5:00 pm
Film Screening, Music Videos, and Q&A
Tickets: Free and Open to the Public
Location: Paradise Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino One Seminole Way, Hollywood, Florida 33314
For information, please contact:
Everett Osceola, Seminole Tribe of Florida Cultural Ambassador
April Kirk, Historic Stranahan House Museum Executive Director
Seminole Tribe of Florida:
Known as the “Unconquered” Seminole Tribe of Florida, because the Tribe never signed a peace treaty with the U.S. Government, the Seminoles are one of the most admired and successful Indian Tribes in North America. The Tribe’s seven casinos, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla., are among the most financially profitable casinos in the world. The Tribe also owns Hard Rock International, with a total of 212 venues in 69 countries, including 162 cafes, 23 hotels and 11 casinos. More than 4,000 members of the Seminole Tribe live on and off reservations in many parts of Florida. Today’s Seminoles are often entrepreneurs and college graduates, including many who work in tribal economic enterprises or in tribal government.
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino:
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, located minutes from Fort Lauderdale’s world-famous beach, features a AAA Four Diamond resort with 469 luxury rooms and suites, award- winning restaurants, high-energy nightlife, a lagoon-style pool and Beach Club, a Hard Rock-inspired spa, and premium meeting and convention space. As South Florida’s premier entertainment destination, Seminole Hard Rock hosts top-name acts at its 5,500–seat Hard Rock Live concert arena and offers more than 100 table games, 2,000 of the most popular slots and a stand-alone poker room. Fine dining options include Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, the resort’s signature steakhouse, and Kuro, a luxe and socially vibrant restaurant offering new- style Japanese cuisine. The resort also features contemporary and casual eateries, including Blue Plate, the hotel’s 24-hour, diner-inspired restaurant; Constant Grind, a gourmet coffee and pastry shop; and the ever-famous Hard Rock Cafe - Hollywood, part of Hard Rock’s 162 globally recognized rock ‘n’ roll restaurants.
Historic Stranahan House Museum:
Stranahan House is the oldest and most historic surviving structure in Broward County. Originally the Trading Post of the New River Settlement, the wood frame structure has served as a community center, boarding house, restaurant, and home of the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Founding Family, the Stranahans. Today the building stands as a museum preserving the history of the Stranahans, the Seminoles, and the first settlers of Fort Lauderdale. The mission of the museum is to tell the story of the birth of our community through the lives of two extraordinary people and the homestead they created and to serve as an enduring legacy for historic preservation.
