The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian announces today that the opening night film for the 14th Native American Film and Video Festival (NAFVF) in its 30th running year, will be the world premiere of “We Shall Remain: Trail of Tears” directed by Chris Eyre (Cheyenne/Arapaho), on Thursday, Mar. 26, 2009 at 7 p.m. The screening will be introduced by Chris Eyre, executive producer Sharon Grimberg, and lead actor Wes Studi (Cherokee). The festival will run from Thursday, Mar. 26 through Sunday, Mar. 29 at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York, the George Gustav Heye Center.

The screening is free and open to the public, but reservations are strongly suggested. For reservations, email fvc@si.edu or call (212) 514-3737.

As part of the acclaimed series from PBS, “We Shall Remain: Trail of Tears” is narrated by Benjamin Bratt (Quechua) and explores the resolve and resilience of the Cherokee Nation, who resisted removal from their homelands in the Southeast in every way they knew: assimilating, adopting a European-style government and legal system, accepting Christianity, and even taking their case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Despite decades of struggle to keep their land, in 1838, thousands of Cherokee were forced from their homes in the Southeastern United States, driving them toward Indian Territory in Eastern Oklahoma. More than 4,000 died of disease and starvation along the way. “Trail of Tears” is the third episode in American Experience’s five-part miniseries, “We Shall Remain.”

This evening’s screening will be preceded by the New York Premiere of Courtney M. Leonard’s “Untitled.” Produced as part of ReelNative, a nation-wide community outreach video training project of the We Shall Remain series, this film presents how the death of a 60-foot finback whale on the shores of the Shinnecock Reservation in Long Island inspires a young artist to preserve the memory for future generations.

Support from the festival has come from The Academy Foundation, the New York State Council for the Arts, and federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.

Located in New York City and Washington, D.C, the Film and Video Center of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is an international leader in the presentation of indigenous film and video projects. National and international programs include the Native American Film and Video Festival, the annual Native Cinema Showcase in Santa Fe, and daily screenings for youth and general audiences. FVC produces the bilingual Native Networks Website with information and resources on indigenous film, video, and radio: www.nativenetworks.si.edu and www.redesindigenous.si.edu. Media information is provided through the website, by phone and E-mail; on-site research and video viewing are available by appointment.

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye Center is located at One Bowling Green in New York City, across from Battery Park. The museum is free and open everyday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Thursdays until 8 p.m. Call (212) 514-3700 for general information and (212) 514-3888 for a recording about the museum’s public programs. By subway, the museum may be reached by the 1 to South Ferry, the 4 or 5 to Bowling Green or the R or W to Whitehall Street. The museum’s Web site is www.americanindian.si.edu.