Indigenous Peoples

As sprawling cities continue to grow and the landscape around us becomes more metropolitan, stories of the world's indigenous peoples have never been more important to preserve and showcase to audiences. Known in some places as First Peoples or Native Peoples, the indigenous population of a country are the earliest known inhabitants of that area, communities who have strong ties to the environment and personal tradition. Often large portions of their land have been stolen from them by colonial forces in the past, forcing them to adapt to a new way of living whilst maintaining their strongly held personal beliefs.

On August 9, the United Nations celebrates International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples in an effort to celebrate a different way of living and to spotlight some of the troubles and concerns faced by indigenous culture across our planet in the face of growing urbanisation and modernisation.

Film has long been a valuable and insightful way of making sure that the complex and varied stories of indigenous people are told, often by filmmakers and artists of indigenous origins themselves. We have selected a number of titles, both primary and secondary, that we believe can act as a valuable starting point to those wishing to learn more about these hidden and undervalued communities around the world.