- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
Join us this Friday, February 23rd, for an exclusive Live Native Bidaské episode that delves into the captivating world of film, storytelling, and Indigenous representation. In this episode, Native News Online Publisher Levi Rickert talks with Miciana Alise, co-writer of the film "Fancy Dance."
Alise will share the origins of the "Fancy Dance," which began during the Sundance Indigenous Labs in 2019 when she connected with the film's director and co-writer Erica Tremblay (Seneca-Cayuga)
"Fancy Dance" led Alise to land a 2021 Sundance Screenwriter’s Fellowship and 2021 SFFilm Rainin Grant. The film was featured on the inaugural Indigenous List hosted by The Black List and the 2022 scripted Cannes Screenplay List. Alise was a 2022 Flaherty Fellow and a Women at Sundance | Adobe Fellow. She received a 2023 Nia Tero Storytelling Fellowship and was awarded a High Scribe Award at the 2023 Sun Valley Film Festival.
On Native Bidaské, Alise will discuss her writing background and involvement with the Native American Journalists Association, highlighting her transition from journalism to screenwriting. She will emphasize the importance of storytelling from a Native perspective and the progress being made by Native writers and filmmakers in the industry, citing examples like Sterling Harjo and Lily Gladstone. The conversation will touch upon the challenges encountered during the production of "Fancy Dance," including industry strikes, while also celebrating pivotal moments such as Gladstone's advocacy during the Indie Wire Honors, which reshaped the dialogue surrounding the film.
Alise will touch on the significance of the "auntie" aspect within Native culture, reflecting on how the film authentically portrays modern Native life and relationships.
Don't miss this insightful and engaging edition of Native Bidaské LIVE this Friday, February 16th, 2024, at 12 p.m. Noon ET. Watch this episode on Native News Online's Facebook, X (Twitter), or //www.youtube.com/@NativeNewsOnline/streams" style="text-decoration: none;">YouTube channel.
More Stories Like This
Navajo Technical University Rodeo Team Competes at 2025 College National Finals RodeoRestoring the Voice of a Leader: Sitting Bull's Songs Reclaimed
New Exhibition of Contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous Art Opens at the American Museum of Natural History
"Your'e No Indian" Examines the Disenrollment Issue
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to Open New Exhibition: Section 14 – The Untold Story
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
