- Details
- By Kaili Berg
The documentary The Story of Art in Alaska is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, bringing the creativity and cultural traditions of Alaska’s artists to viewers around the world.
Directed by Christelle Bois and produced by Pierre Gervois of Legit Productions, the film travels through Hoonah, Anchorage, and Fairbanks, showing how Indigenous culture, contemporary art, and local history come together in these communities.
The documentary features six artists from Hoonah, all Huna Totem Corporation shareholders, whose work reflects both traditional and modern Tlingit art.
They are dancer and singer Carol Williams, totem pole carver and formline artist Jeff Skaflestad, digital and print formline artist Richard Dalton III, writer and formline artist Katelynn “Kasteen” Drake, carver and formline artist Gordon Greenwald, and weaver Darlene See.
The film’s release was celebrated with a red-carpet screening in Hoonah on June 21. Community members and featured artists gathered with the filmmakers for the premiere, where Huna Totem CEO Russell Dick presented Bois and Gervois with a ceremonial paddle, a Tlingit gesture of welcome and thanks.
“It’s an honor to have our story shared with the world and to see our artists recognized for their work,” Dick said in a statement. “This film shows the strength and creativity of our communities and helps keep our culture alive.”
The documentary has already picked up awards at the New York Independent Cinema Awards, Atlanta Cinema Awards, and Hawaii International Film Awards this year.
“This film gives a platform to voices that don’t usually reach beyond their region,” Gervois said in a statement. “There’s so much depth to Alaska’s art scene, and it deserves to be seen.”
The Story of Art in Alaska is part of Legit Productions’ ongoing series The Story of Art in America, which highlights artists and communities across the U.S.
“I want people to see America through its artists, to tell stories that haven’t been told,” said Bois.
The documentary is available now on Amazon Prime Video.
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