Draft:Mariah Hernandez-Fitch
Mariah Hernandez-Fitch (born December 5, 2000) is an American director, writer, and activist, and a member of the United Houma Nation. Her work focuses on issues related to public policy, tribal sovereignty, and contemporary Indigenous communities, often explored through the medium of film.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Hernandez-Fitch was born in Houma, Louisiana, and raised in Dulac, Louisiana, where her mother and maternal grandmother are from.[2]
She attended Dartmouth College, where she majored in Film and Media Studies and minored in Native and Indigenous Studies, graduating in 2023.[3] While at Dartmouth, she was awarded the prestigious John P. Wolfenden Award in Film and Media Studies for her outstanding contributions to the field.[4] As of 2024, Hernandez-Fitch was pursuing a master's degree in American Indian Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[2]
Career
[edit]Mariah Hernandez-Fitch's short film Ekbeh—her undergraduate thesis at Dartmouth College—was selected for the 2024 Sundance Film Festival,[2][5][6] and was also part of the Sundance Indigenous Shorts Summer Tour.[7][8][9]
Ekbeh explores the intersection of family, food, and Indigenous culture. The film documents her grandparents' life in Dulac, Louisiana, focusing on their gumbo-making tradition while intertwining personal stories about growing up in the bayou, shrimping, and the challenges of segregation. The title Ekbeh, meaning "to build" or "to cook" in the Houma language, highlights the act of rebuilding both food traditions and language within the community.[2]
The film screened at several festivals, including the Smithsonian Native Cinema Showcase,[10] Bates Film Festival,[1] Hammer Museum,[11] Sonoma Film Festival, and 2023 New Orleans Film Festival.[12] It was also featured in Smithsonian's Mother Tongue Film Festival and Delta's 2024 Native American Heritage Program.[13] Hernandez-Fitch served as a juror for Louisiana Shorts at the 2024 New Orleans Film Festival.[14]
In addition to her filmmaking, Hernandez-Fitch has spoken on several panels addressing topics such as Indigeneity, environmental justice, Indigenous policy, and filmmaking, often combining these themes in her discussions.[15] Hernandez-Fitch is currently a Tulane Monroe Fellow, where she is developing an upcoming project focused on the Gulf South region. The Monroe Fellowship supports scholars, writers, and creative artists exploring subjects related to the bioregion stretching from Texas to Florida.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Mariah Hernandez-Fitch – Bates Film Festival". Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ a b c d "Ekbeh | From the Bayou to the Big Screen – March 2024". The Times of Houma/Thibodaux. 2024-03-05. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ "Q&A with filmmaker Mariah Hernandez-Fitch '23 on her film "Ekbeh"". Q&A with filmmaker Mariah Hernandez-Fitch '23 on her film "Ekbeh" - The Dartmouth. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "2023 Arts At Dartmouth Awardees". Film & Media Studies. 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ "Recent Graduate's Film to Screen at Sundance | Dartmouth". home.dartmouth.edu. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ Walck, Lauren (2024-01-19). "Indigenous Louisiana native's film to show at Sundance as tribe gets national spotlight". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "2024 Sundance Institute Indigenous Film Tour Kicks Off in June - sundance.org". 2024-06-03. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ spicer, lucy (2024-11-28). "Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know 3 Indigenous Filmmakers With Shorts at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival - sundance.org". Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "Sundance Indigenous Film Tour". LAist. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "National Museum of the American Indian hosts Native Cinema Showcase". Indianz.Com. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ "True (Short) Stories | Hammer Museum". hammer.ucla.edu. 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ "2023 New Orleans Film Festival". noff2023.eventive.org. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ Institution, Smithsonian (2024-07-19). "National Museum of the American Indian Presents the Best in Indigenous Film in the Native Cinema Showcase in Santa Fe". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "NOFF Awards". New Orleans Film Society. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ Staff report (2024-03-20). "Houma Nation storyteller and filmmaker will be part of free event at LSU on Wednesday". The Advocate. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ "Monroe Fellows Research Grant | School of Liberal Arts at Tulane University". liberalarts.tulane.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-23.