Documentary to be screened at Red Nation Film Festival in L.A.

“Indians in Aviation,” a full-length documentary commissioned by the Mid-America All-Indian Center has been accepted into the 11th annual Red Nation Film Festival & Awards Show scheduled for Nov. 3-12 in Los Angeles. The film will be screened in the Documentary Features category at 2 p.m. PST on Monday, Nov. 10 at the Laemmle Music Hall Theatre. The event is held in November to coincide with American Indian Heritage Month.

“From the very beginning, our goal with this documentary was to enlighten local audiences about the contributions American Indians in the Wichita area made from the home front during World War II,” said Indian Center Executive Director April Scott. “To have it screened before an audience made up of people from around the world exceeds all of our expectations and is such an honor.”

The Red Nation Film Festival is the largest and most prestigious celebration of American Indian filmmaking in Los Angeles and is recognized worldwide as the best venue for marketing American Indian films and documentaries. The festival is dedicated to breaking the barrier of racism by successfully placing American Indian filmmakers at the forefront of the entertainment industry and introducing American Indian filmmakers to larger, global mainstream audiences.

The “Indians in Aviation” screening will include a Q&A session with local filmmaker Doug M. Robertson who directed the documentary. Funded in part by the Arts Council, “Indians in Aviation” is a companion documentary to an exhibit of the same name that is on display in the Indian Center Museum through the end of the year.

“Indians in Aviation” is the untold but true stories of American Indians who, seeking a better way of life for their families, migrated from Indian territories to work in wartime aviation industries in Wichita at Boeing Wichita, Cessna Aircraft Co. and Beech Aircraft. The 90-minute documentary allows viewers to connect with more than two dozen veterans, family members and historians as they recount their roles in the war effort and explain why many of the Indian families decided to permanently relocate to Wichita. Their desire to stay in Wichita and work together to preserve the histories of many different tribes eventually led to the creation of the Mid-America All-Indian Center in 1969.

A DVD of the “Indians in Aviation” documentary is available for purchase in the Indian Center Gift Shop for $19.95. For more information about the film or exhibit, contact Indian Center staff at 316-350-3340.