We are excited to announce the First Peoples Festival Film Symposium as part of the 3rd Annual First Peoples Festival in Estes Park, CO! This year, we’re proud to showcase three incredible films by Indigenous filmmakers:
- Remaining Native – A powerful exploration of cultural resilience and identity.
- Untold Valor – A moving story highlighting the courage and contributions of Native veterans.
- The Salmon People: A Way of Life – A beautiful documentary celebrating the deep connection between Indigenous communities and the salmon.
✨ What to Expect:
- Screenings of these thought-provoking films
- Q&A sessions and panel discussions with filmmakers
- Engaging conversations about Indigenous storytelling, culture, and representation
📅 Dates: January 17 & 18, 2026
📍 Location: Estes Valley Community Center, 660 Community Drive, Estes Park, CO
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
Introducing Our Moderator: Jeremy Charles
We are honored to welcome Jeremy Charles, a Cherokee citizen from Oologah, Oklahoma, as the moderator for the 2026 First Peoples Festival Film Symposium. Jeremy is a writer, director, producer, and cinematographer, and a passionate advocate for Native representation in film.
In 2014, he founded FireThief Productions, a Native-owned film company dedicated to telling Indigenous stories. He is the co-creator, director, and producer of Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People, now in its seventh season, which has earned nine regional Emmys, including Best Director in 2017.
Jeremy’s work spans short documentaries, narrative films, music videos, and animation:
- His narrative short Totsu (Redbird) premiered in 2020 and won “Achievement in Film” at the L.A. Skins Film Festival.
- An original animated series in the Cherokee language, Inage’i (In The Woods), is currently in production.
- His direction of the music video Everybody Needs by Branjae earned the Judge’s Choice Graphex Award in 2018.
Jeremy’s films have been selected for numerous festivals worldwide, and his dedication to authentic storytelling makes him the perfect guide for the Symposium, where he will moderate panel discussions and Q&A sessions, helping audiences connect deeply with Remaining Native, Untold Valor, and The Salmon People: A Way of Life.
Untold Valor
We are honored to present Untold Valor, directed by Ise White, who will join us for the
screenings. The film tells the remarkable story of Corporal Jack Aikins, who was recruited by
General Patton to join the Comanche Nation’s 13‑man covert task force created by the U.S.
Army to revolutionize battlefield communications during World War II.
The Salmon People (Scha’nexw Elhtal’nexw: Salmon People: Preserving a Way of Life)
Also featured is The Salmon People, an hour‑long documentary inspired by the late
Chexanexwh Larry Kinley, a Lummi fisherman and tribal leader who promoted tribal
sovereignty. The film follows two Lummi families fishing for sockeye salmon as they navigate
climate change and a declining fishery. Asking “Who are we without salmon?”, the film offers a
spiritual reflection on resilience, adaptive lifeways, and the deep cultural significance of salmon.
Director Basa Beth Pielert and Ellie Kinley, a member of the Lummi Nation who worked on the film,
will join the symposium.
Remaining Native
The symposium will also screen Remaining Native, a documentary told from the perspective of
17‑year‑old Ku Stevens. The film follows Ku as he pursues his dream of becoming a collegiate
athlete while the memory of his great‑grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school
begins to connect past, present, and future. Misty and Delmar Stevens, Ku’s parents, will be
present to provide insight and answer audience questions.
Film Schedule – Saturday
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Remaining Native
12:15 PM – 1:45 PM: The Salmon People
2:00 PM – 3:15 PM: Untold Valor
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Untold Valor
Film Schedule – Sunday
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Remaining Native
3:45 PM – 5:00 PM: The Salmon People
The First Peoples Festival Film Symposium offers a unique opportunity to celebrate Indigenous
storytelling, connect with filmmakers and community members, and deepen understanding of
the diverse experiences and histories of First Peoples.