Sterlin Harjo

Sterlin Harjo born 14 November 1979 is a member of the Seminole Nation and has Muskogee heritage He was raised in Holdenville Oklahoma and attended the University of Oklahoma where he studied art and film He received a fellowship from the Sundance Institute in 2004 His short film Goodnight Irene premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and received a special jury award at the Aspen Shortfest In 2006 he received a fellowship from the newly formed United States Artists foundation Harjos first feature film Four Sheets to the Wind tells the story of a young Seminole man who travels from his small hometown to Tulsa to visit his sister after the death of their father The film premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival where it was nominated for the grand jury prize Harjo was named best director at the 2007 American Indian Film Festival Harjos second feature Barking Water premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival It portrays a road trip by a dying man and his former lover across Oklahoma to see his daughter and granddaughter in Wewoka the capital of the Seminole Nation Barking Water was named best drama film at the 2009 American Indian Film Festival Harjos first feature documentary This May Be the Last Time is based on the story of Harjos grandfather who disappeared in 1962 in theSeminal County town of Sasakwa It explores the subject of Creek Nation hymns and their connection to Scottish folk gospel and rock music The film premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival His third feature film Mekko a thriller set in Tulsa premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June 2015 Mekko paints the portrait of a homeless Native American parolee who seeks to save his chaotic yet beautiful community from the darkness that threatens it Harjo has also directed a number of shortform projects His 2009 short film Cepanvkuce Tutcenen Three Little Boys was part of the Embargo Collective project commissioned by the imagineNative Film Median Arts Festival He has directed a series of shorts for This Land Press in Tulsa where Harjo is the staff video director He was a member of the 2010 Sundance shorts competition jury Harjo is a founding member of a fivemember Native American comedy group The 1491s He also is one of the directors of Cherokee Nations monthly television news magazine Osiyo Voices of the Cherokee People which is produced by Fire Thief Productions a Native American production company which he cofounded with Cherokee photographer Jeremy Charles