Native New Yorker (film)
| Company type | Short documentary film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Steve Bilich |
Key people | Steve Bilich (director, producer, writer), William Susman (composer) |
| Products | Documentary short film |
| Website | nativenewyorkerfilm |
Native New Yorker (2005) is a 13-minute documentary short directed by Steve Bilich, which earned the Best Documentary Short award at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. Bilich also served as producer and writer, while the original musical composition was created by William Susman. The footage was captured using a 1924 hand-crank Cine-Kodak camera.
The narrative centers on Shaman Trail Scout 'Coyote' as he navigates Manhattan, following indigenous pathways and visiting historic landmarks such as Inwood Park and lower Manhattan. Filmed in the periods before, during, and after the September 11 attacks, the documentary presents a complex portrayal of the island’s history intertwined with its contemporary reality.
Receiving critical praise, Native New Yorker has been characterized as "...a conventionally unclassifiable short... brilliantly encapsulat[ing] aeons" (New Internationalist) and as "...the stuff dreams - and nightmares - are made of" (The Austin Chronicle).
In 2009, the film’s soundtrack was released on the album Music for Moving Pictures. The Tribeca Film Institute selected it for inclusion in their Reframe Collection in 2011, recognizing its importance to visual heritage. Other significant screenings occurred at New York’s Anthology Film Archives during the 2013 Sound of Silent Film Festival, at Italy’s 50th Pesaro Film Festival in 2014 under Panorama U.S.A., and at a 2015 retrospective hosted by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Festivals
- 8th Athens Avant-Garde Film Festival – Athens, Greece
- 50th Pesaro Film Festival – Pesaro, Italy
- Sound of Silent Film Festival – New York, NY
- Native Spirit Film Festival – London, UK
- Rooftop Film Festival – New York, NY
- Cinestrat Film Festival – Alicante, Spain
- Austin Jewish Film Festival – Austin, Texas
- WILDsound Film Festival – Toronto, Canada
- Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival – Lincoln, Nebraska
- Moondance International Film Festival – Los Angeles, California
- Expresion en Corto International Film Festival – Guanajuato, Mexico
- Global Voices/UNAFF – Harvard Cambridge, Mass.
- Tribeca Film Festival – New York, NY
- Cinequest Film Festival – San Jose, California
- Tiburon International Film Festival – Tiburon, California
- Park City Film Music Festival – Park City, Utah
- Raindance Film Festival – London, United Kingdom
- United Nations Association Film Festival – Palo Alto, California
- LA Shorts Fest – Los Angeles, California
- Rome International Film Festival – Rome, Georgia
- Vancouver International Film Festival – Vancouver, Canada
- Action/Cut Short Film Competition – Los Angeles, California
- Avignon Film Festival – Avignon, France
- Moondance International Film Festival – Boulder, Colorado
Awards
- Tribeca Film Festival – Best Documentary Short Winner (2006)
- Park City Film Music Festival – Audience Choice Award: Best Impact of Music (2006)
- Park City Film Music Festival – Gold Medal Jury's Choice: Artistic Excellence (2006)
- Moondance International Film Festival – Columbine Award Recipient (2005)
Broadcast Platforms
- Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) – Available throughout Canada
- PBS / WNET – Featured in Reel New York (New York)
- Comcast – Distributed across the United States
External Resources
- NativeNewYorkerFilm.com - Official Website
- Alternative Film Guide - Awards from the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival
- The Internet Movie Database - Native New Yorker (2005)
- Awards Listing at IMDb - Accolades for Native New Yorker
- The TFI Reframe Collection - Independent Film Portal by Tribeca Film Institute
- Channel Thirteen - PBS / WNET - Reel New York Film Festival Feature
- Amazon.com - Available as of 2011
- Music for Moving Pictures Album on iTunes - Soundtrack Released in 2009