LINCOLN, Neb. — To recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 11, Vision Maker Media will hold a free online film program from Oct. 6-13. The program is part of the organization’s 45^th anniversary events, whose sponsors include the Cherokee Nation Film Office and PBS.

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a declaration of the rights of Indigenous peoples and, thus, serves as and celebrates an International day of solidarity for Indigenous peoples of the Americas,” Vision Maker Media Executive Director Francene Blythe-Lewis (Eastern Cherokee, Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota and Diné) said in a statement. “Together, let’s celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day by watching films by and about Indigenous peoples acknowledging the land on which you live, work or enjoy by thanking the Indigenous stewards of generations past who kept the place for us, and learning one thing about the Indigenous community nearest you.”

The program will feature “Return to Rainy Mountain” and “Words From a Bear.” Both films tell the story of N. Scott Momaday, Kiowa essayist, novelist, writer and 1969 Pulitzer Prize winner. The films weave together the intricacies of Kiowa art, family, personal memoir, poetic justice, and democracy through Native sovereignty. The films can be viewed at visionmakermedia.org.