Cherokee Nation Signs Historic Filmmaking Collaboration with UCLA

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - Cherokee Nation recently signed an agreement with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television that will support an annual reciprocal filmmaking exchange between UCLA TFT and Cherokee Film with focus on Indigenous storytelling, Cherokee-language preservation and the development of the next generation of filmmakers.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner gathered with other Cherokee Nation leaders and the UCLA Theater, Film and Television dean in Los Angeles on Saturday to sign the agreement.

"Cherokee Nation has long understood that language preservation is inseparable from cultural sovereignty," said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. "This is a unique partnership that expands our mission of Cherokee-language revitalization and Indigenous filmmaking, accelerating that work while bringing Cherokee voices, perspectives and creative leadership to the forefront of an industry where Natives have too often been excluded."

The tribe has committed $470,000 over the next four years to support the reciprocal filmmaking creation of original Cherokee-language films, educational media and expanded opportunities for students across both institutions.

Each year, a cohort of Cherokee filmmakers and students will travel to Los Angeles for a curated learning experience at UCLA TFT, gaining access to faculty, production resources, and professional development opportunities. In turn, a cohort of UCLA TFT students will travel to Cherokee Film's advanced virtual production studios in Owasso to work alongside Cherokee Film professionals and gain hands-on experience in Indigenous filmmaking and community-centered storytelling.

This investment from the tribe also builds original Cherokee-language media, including films and educational content that will reach students and citizens alike. Joseph Erb, a Cherokee Nation citizen, filmmaker, and newly appointed associate professor at UCLA TFT, will guide this work. Cherokee Nation language and cultural experts will also guide cultural representation, language accuracy and creative development throughout the process.

This collaboration extends a legacy of investment that Cherokee Nation has built over years of prioritizing language revitalization, including the landmark Durbin Feeling Language Preservation Act, the largest language investment in Cherokee history.

The partnership is also part of UCLA TFT Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu's five-year decanal initiative, Picture Start, which carries the long-term ambition of establishing a permanent Indigenous Media program at UCLA TFT.

"A public school of theater, film and television exists to put the means of storytelling in the hands of communities whose stories have suffered distortion, scarcity and misrepresentations," said Shimizu. "Our collaboration with the Cherokee Nation carries that charge forward."