Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

November 12, 2010

Navajo Filmmaker Arlene Bowman's 'Graffiti' at French Film Festival

Congratulations to my longtime friend, Navajo filmmaker Arlene Bowman, and the success of her new film, "Graffiti" showing at the French film festival, Festival International Du Film D'Amiens. In this short narrative Graffiti, a woman rebounds from injustice by writing about racist graffiti targeting Indians and sprayed throughout Vancouver. Bowman's first film, as a graduate student, Navajo Talking Picture, also captured international success. Navajo Talking Picture shared the struggle of Bowman, as a young Dine' woman, returning to her grandmother's hogan in Greasewood, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. Her second film, on PBS, Song Journey, included an exploration of women drummers as she traveled the powwow highway north. She was born on the Navajo Nation, grew up in Phoenix and now lives in Vancouver B.C.
Bowman's powerful personal essays include memories of racist police in Los Angeles, where she received her MFA, and reflections on the film industry's barriers for Indigenous Peoples, especially women.
Congratulations Arlene, wish I was with you in France! --Brenda
Women Make Movies:
http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/makers/fm24.shtml
Arlene Bowman, Dine', completed her master's degree in film at the University of California at Los Angeles. An independent producer concentrating on Native themes, Arlene has produced, directed, and edited the award-winning "Navajo Talking Picture" (1986) and co-produced and co-directed "Drugs in the 90s: Coward Hunter". As media curator and instructor, Bowman programmed "The Native American Film and Video Festival" (1989, UCLA Film and Television Archive) and "Native Images Festival" (1990, Los Angeles) and has taught film production at California State University, Long Beach. (09/09)
Navajo Talking Picture
A film by Arlene Bowman, 1986, 40 min., Color
Song Journey
A film by Arlene Bowman and Jeanine Moret, 1994, 57 min., Color

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