Indigenous Cinema Celebrates 10 Years at Berlinale and European Film Market

Indigenous Cinema Celebrates 10 Years at Berlinale and European Film Market

The Indigenous Cinema Alliance (ICA) returns to the Berlin Film Festival and European Film Market (EFM), marking its 10th anniversary showcasing native and Indigenous filmmakers worldwide.

Established in 2015 as the NATIVe Indigenous Cinema Stand, the ICA has served as a platform for Indigenous filmmakers to showcase market-ready projects to the international market. An official partner with the EFM since its inception, ICA is managed by imagineNATIVE and represents a global network of Indigenous film organizations, including the International Sami Film Institute (ISFI), 4th World Media Lab, Film Greenland (Film.GL), Pacific Islanders in Communications, If Not US Then Who?, MULLU, PISA, and the Winda Film Festival.

In addition to presenting projects, the ICA organizes panels and networking events to link Indigenous talent across national borders and to evaluate the profile of Indigenous cinema worldwide.

EFM screenings of new projects include Mike Jonathan’s Maori period action film Ka Whawhai Tonu / Struggle Without End, Darcy Waite’s Manitoba-set bowling comedy Lucky Strikes, the Norwegian series Heajastallan – A Sámi Wedding, and Lisa Jackson’s documentary Wilfred Buck’s Star Stories, about Ininew astronomer Wilfred Buck, which will feature in Berlin’s Forum Expanded lineup.

The ICA will kick off its 10th-anniversary event with a market screening of its 2025 promo reel on Thursday, Feb. 13. Later that day, the first panel discussion, on “The Next Decade of Global Indigenous Cinema” will explore the evolution of Indigenous storytelling and industry strategies. Additional programming includes roundtables at the EFM’s DocSalon, featuring discussions on narrative sovereignty and alternative distribution networks for non-fiction Indigenous films. On Saturday, Feb. 15, the “Bridging Borders: Indigenous Co-Productions” pitch event will spotlight six collaborative projects seeking international partners.

You can check out the full schedule of events on the ICA’s website.