TheSundanceFilm Festival has selected this years recipients of theMerata MitaFellowship and the Graton Fellowship for Artists from California-Based Tribes.
Merata Mitas vision of moving images struck me as a beaming pillar of light.
Her work has always been some place to admire, as well as both wish and work towards.
Stefan Perez, Roni Jo Draper and Rhayne Vermette are Sundance Institute’s 2025 Merata Mita and Graton Fellows.Courtesy Sundance Institute
It is in this spirit that I am encouraged to keep dreaming.
I am honored to join the Graton Fellowship as part of Sundance Institute.
Storytelling and story listening have been an important part of my life as a Yurok woman.
Now I am in a position to imagine what Yurok storytelling can look like on film.
This work is only possible with the generosity and trust of programs like the Graton Fellowship.
California Indians have such a unique history and identity that I cannot wait to bring to the screen.
Thank you to the Graton Rancheria Tribal Council and Sundance Institute for making this possible.
