The Indigenous Moving Image Archive is a digital repository designed to transcend institutional barriers and ensure public access to American Indian-made films. The project addresses the absence of archival infrastructure in many Indigenous communities—a gap that has contributed to the displacement and erasure of significant Indigenous film history.
Clip from “Home Movie: 97321: Autumn and Arizona”. Courtesy of Prelinger Archives Home Movies. Source: Internet Archive.
Although Indigenous people have been present in cinema from its earliest days—as creators, actors, and storytellers—colonial systems of collecting, cataloging, and preserving cultural works often bypassed Indigenous-made films. As a result, many early works have been lost.
Through a planned dynamic, interactive platform that will serve as both a reference point and curatorial space, the archive will catalog films available online and in physical collections. By building a resource that celebrates the depth and breadth of Indigenous film history while promoting its visibility, the project aims to serve as an act of reclamation and visual sovereignty—ensuring these works will be preserved, accessible, and honored for future generations.
The project received funding from the 2024 Creative Capital Wild Futures: Art, Culture, Impact Award (Artforum, January 2024).