All Roads in Iran...First look...Due to some unexpected connection issues we were unable to provide real-time updates to you from the field.  Alas, now that we have returned, a retrospective.  Everything you may have heard about the extent of Iranian hospitality is true.   As special invited guests of the first ever Cinema Verite Iranian International Documentary Film Festival, the whole notion of VIP has taken on new meaning.  From the moment we were able to clear customs, we were treated ...

With the U.S. premiere of Sonam...The Fortunate One, filmgoers were treated to a beautifully shot film by director Ahsan Muzid that followed Himalayan Monpa yak herders from a remote region in India in a tale of love, lust and repentance. After introductions by Greg McGruder, VP National Geographic Lectures and Public Programs, Francene Blythe, Director, All Roads Film Project and Chris Rainier, Director, All Roads Film Program, the film's director of music, Archana Bhattacharjeeshowcased her vo...

With the U.S. premiere of Sonam...The Fortunate One, filmgoers were treated to a beautifully shot film by director Ahsan Muzid that followed Himalayan Monpa yak herders from a remote region in India in a tale of love, lust and repentance. After introductions by Greg McGruder, VP National Geographic Lectures and Public Programs, Francene Blythe, Director, All Roads Film Project and Chris Rainier, Director, All Roads Film Program, the film's director of music, Archana Bhattacharjeeshowcased her vo...

In what has become a nice tradition for the launch of the All Roads Film Festival, this year's class of filmmakers and photographers gathered together with All Roads staff for an intimate Welcome Event in the secluded Hollywood Hills. Fresh off the plane from diverse locales such as Finland, India, Mongolia, Kashmir, Israel, Nigeria, New Zealand, and all over the U.S., new life-long relationships were sparked into reality as the 2007 All Roads Film Festival is now underway...Images by Becky Hale...

While this scene is not the premiere of the All Roads Film Festival, it is yet another typical happening in Hollywood, site of the 2007 All Roads Launch. Just a stones throw from the legendary Kodak theater, the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Blvd. will serve as the host for the 4th Annual Event. Filmmakers and photographers from across the globe are set to arrive throughout the next 24 hours to share their art and gift with all of us....

Enduring Voices is a new National Geographic Society initiative that is both preserving and raising mainstream awareness to the tragic disappearance of our planet's precious languages. With so much focus on our depleting natural resources, it is easy to overlook severity of our endangered languages. Check out this story in the New York Times for the latest...The All Roads Film Project supports these voices through film, music and photography through seed grants and a platform from which these vo...

The spirit and policies of socialism are sweeping across South America. Cuba's President, Fidel Castro has been at the forefront of this movement since assuming power in 1959. With the recent reforms instituted by Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, the movement is again gaining momentum at the regional level. Now, with the 2006 election of Evo Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous President, the continent serves host to a trilateral bloc that seeks to challenge the mores of capitalism and Americ...

The 2007 All Roads Film Festivals will soon come into full view.  Last week, the halls of the National Geographic Society were all abuzz as members of the selection committee hunkered down to review over 35 hours of film in 40 hours. This was truly a global affair with committee members traveling from the Pacific Islands, Middle East, Europe, North America and South America.  Drawn from an expansive pool of over 250 films, All Roads 2007 will soon be upon us, sharing the unique stories of voic...

All Roads seed grantees Larry Blackhorse Lowe and Heather Rae are among 22 filmmakers and media artists selected as 2007 Media Arts Fellows by Renew Media.  Funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, over $750,000 was collectively awarded to this year's Fellowship recipients recognizing the artistic excellence of film, video and new-media artists in the United States.  Artists selected for this honor represent a penchant for creative risk-taking; pushing the boundaries of genre, form, technique...

The deadline for submission to the 2007 All Roads Film Festival is fast approaching!!Get your entries in NOW...Deadline is May 15, 2007.Download the entry form here. This year, All Roads will be presenting full programs in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Santa Fe.For more information, email: allroads@ngs.org or call, +1 202 857 7660....

New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential hopeful Bill Richardson has announced the inaugural "First Vision Filmmakers Forum,"  (April 27, 2007) a day-long symposium featuring both emerging and established film and television experts from North America to explore cultural trends in diversity film initiatives.  The film industry has been steadily staking out an increased presence in the Land of Enchantment since the early days of Bonanza.  With this event, Richardson aims to of...

The current plight of the Native American Film community was illustrated via mainstrean media in the April 11, 2007 edition of LA Weekly.  Written against the context of the 10th anniversary of the critical and commercial success of "Smoke Signals," author Matthew Fleischer, delves into the complex struggles facing today's Native Filmmakers. From the usual suspects of funding and distrubution to the complexities of substantive storytelling, there appears to be a new wave of filmma...

The All Roads Film Project is currently hiring for the position of Manager, Festival Programming. This position will be responsible for managing the international film program of the All Roads Film Festival including the selection process, from submission to final selections.This is an amazing opportunity to join a great team managing the programming for one of the fastest growing festivals on the circuit.Applications are currently being accepted online. Check out the link for more information.�...

BETWEEN THE DEEP BLUE SEA AND MENative Hawaiian, USAFeature NarrativeDirector: Lurline Wailana McGregorA young woman's conflict between the contradictory worlds of her Native Hawaiian father's ancestors, and the Western culture in which she has been raised.ANCIENT LIGHT: IN SEARCH OF ANCESTRAL WISDOMNative Hawaiian, USALong DocumentaryDirector: Elizabeth Kapu'uwailani LindseyPius "Mau" Piailug, arguably the greatest non-instrument navigator in the world, is dying, and now, ...

The 2007 IFP Rough Cut Lab will be held June 12-15 in New York City. This four-day program brings first-time narrative independent feature filmmakers together with one-to-one mentors and experienced professionals who offer personal guidance, feedback and advice on technical, creative and post-production issues that impact emerging filmmakers. IFP is currently the only Free Lab program in the U.S. that is currently helping independent filmmakers at the critical rough-cut stage to achieve the fu...

National Geographic’s All Roads Film Project is launching with a full head of steam into the 2007 film festival circuit The prestigious Berlin International Festival gets underway this week and All Roads will be there with the screening of “Make A Wish” a film by 2005 Seed Grantee Cherien Dabis. According to All Roads Director Francene Blythe, the project will continue to build on its previous years successes. “Last year All Roads grew in audience, attendance, and media outreach 100%...

The All Roads Film Project is making an impact at the Sundance film festival. On Sunday, January 21, All Roads partnered with LMU's School of Film and Television to celebrate a few of the project's "Distinguished Alumni." Held at The Spur Bar & Grill, the event featured the screening of Sterlin Harjo's "Four Sheets to the Wind." The film, which was produced in part by a grant from the All Roads Film Project tells the story of how a young Native American's previously uneventful life is tur...

2006 was an amazing year for the All Roads Film Festival. 2007 is ripe for another fantastic season of inspiring storytelling from indigenous filmmakers from around the world. Download the latest latest call for entry form here. ...