TULSA, Okla. — Cherokee Film is amplifying Native voices on one of the entertainment industry’s most influential stages by hosting a featured panel at South by Southwest 2026, focused on Indigenous storytelling, representation and breaking barriers in Hollywood.
“South by Southwest offers an environment that inspires creatives, showcases innovative content and energizes the industry. It is more than an event; it’s an incubator that celebrates novelty, authenticity and collaboration,” said Jen Loren, senior director of Cherokee Film. “Cherokee Film is honored to have the opportunity to explore and share Native perspectives in this space, with hope that it will serve as a conduit for more conversations to come.”
“Going Off Script: Filmmaking Through an Indigenous Lens” features Loren alongside industry leaders Erica Tremblay (Seneca-Cayuga), Tom Hanada (Cherokee Nation) and Sydney Freeland (Diné).
The panel is slated for March 14 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. CST at the Omni Downtown in Austin, Texas.
Cherokee Film’s mission is to reclaim Cherokee and Native narratives by increasing representation across film and media. Its ecosystem includes four distinct branches — Cherokee Film Productions, Cherokee Film Studios, Cherokee Film Commission and Cherokee Film Institute — all working toward a shared goal of advancing narrative sovereignty while creating economic development within the tribe’s reservation.
For more information, please visit Cherokee.film or follow Cherokee Film on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.