Vision Maker Media (visionmakermedia.org) marks 50 years of bringing Indigenous stories to audiences with the 2026 Film Festival, “Everything is Connected,” a year-long exploration of heritage, identity, and community through documentaries, narrative films, and shorts produced and funded by Vision Maker Media, screening in-person and online.
On June 8, “Aanikoobijigan” screens at UNL’s The Ross Theater. This film follows eleven repatriation specialists as they do the emotionally draining work of returning ancestors’ remains to their homeland, illustrating how people are connected by heritage and generations.
For free tickets, visit theross.org.
The online festival features three films in June. “Legend of Fry-Roti: Rise of the Dough” follows Aria as she bridges her multi-heritage family divides and discovers the true meaning of kinship and unity. “She Cried that Day” is a feature documentary chronicling the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s crisis through the lens of someone struggling to cope with the unsolved murder of her sister. “Lumbeeland” rounds out the lineup with an intergenerational family drama set in a rural Southern community.
To stream the festival, visit visionmakermedia.org/vision-maker-film-festival-everything-is-connected-june-streaming.
Vision Maker’s iNative Shorts for Kids YouTube channel explores traditions in June with episodes themed “Reclaiming Old Ways,” featuring clips from the Telly Award-winning series “Growing Native” about regional communities, foods, and traditions across the U.S.