The Lensic Performing Arts Center presents the Next Generation Native Film Festival Sept. 8. Courtesy/The Lensic

The Lensic News:

SANTA FE — Lensic Performing Arts Center presents the Next Generation Native Film Festival at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, a 70-minute program featuring an eclectic and diverse set of short films submitted by Native filmmakers.

The annual festival invites Native artists ages 23 and under to submit films to the festival, bringing their stories and work to a wider audience.

This year’s program includes fourteen films by filmmakers in New Mexico, Minnesota, Canada, Mexico, and Columbia. Subject matter ranges from coping with remote learning during the pandemic to the passing down of generational knowledge.

The Next Generation Native Film Festival is part of the Lensic’s arts education programs and is facilitated by program manager Marcella Ernst, PhD., a scholar in the Department of Art History at University of New Mexico. Ernst has been working with and mentoring young people in film and photography for more than 20 years.

The Lensic’s arts education programs range from masterclasses to free performances for students to internships and more.