Kutoven “Ku” Stevens is a senior in high school in Nevada and an all-state track star. For as long as he can remember he has always loved running and for long distance runners who grow up in the US, there’s another little-known fact that the University of Oregon is where the best of the best runners attend. Ku knows this which is also funny because I myself had a long-distance career in the early 2000s and the lore of Oregon was well known amongst my peers back then.

Thats where this documentary starts but Ku takes us on a journey of self-discovery and a mission to honor those who came before us. Ku talks about his great grandfather Frank who at a very young age was subjected to an Indian Boarding School known as Stewart.

The purpose of this school and others like it was to assimilate Native American children and tear them from their families and their cultures. This was the policy of federal government at the time. And as dark as that already seems what the children faced while at these schools was nothing short of torture. Ku’s grandfather escaped Stewart school one day and made the 50-mile trek back to his reservation where Ku and his family seek to honor him by sharing his story and others like it.

Remaining Native is a wonderful coming of age tale and shines a light on the complexities on our nation’s history. It’s never too much to ask to remember. Some still need to heal from the darkness that once took place at these boarding schools. This film can be a lesson to many who have their own healing that they look to find. It comes from a community, it comes from honoring and not running from your past but for your past, and most importantly, bringing light to the darkness.

Synopsis: Ku Stevens wants to be an elite runner, but when the remains of Native children are found, Ku must face his family’s past while attempting to run towards his future.

See a trailer for the SXSW Award Winning film here and visit the site at https://www.remainingnativedocumentary.com/.

From award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter Lucy Gaffy and 13 bestselling crime novels and screenwriter Jo Spain comes a romance drama television miniseries Mix Tape – adapted from a novel of the same name by Jane Sanderson.

The premise of the story takes place in Sheffield (the northern part of England) during 1989 where two teenagers, Alison and Daniel, fall in love. In a time before internet, social media, and cell phones, Daniel records music onto a cassette tape that reflect his feelings, thoughts, which he gives to Alison.

In present time, Daniel and Alison have moved on, both with successful careers and created their separate lives. Daniel appears to be caught in a moment and feels disillusioned with his current marriage. Daniel is tempted to reach out to Alison. Instead of calling or sending her a text, he decides to send her a song from their past that represents the feelings they shared as teenagers.

The Gen-Xers will reminisce those youthful years about early relationships when they hear those 80s songs played in Mix Tape. The first couple of episodes is truly nostalgic for those that grew up in that era and it will provide an opportunity for the newer generation to learn and bestow value to the pioneers of alternative/indie rock – maybe even give them a glimpse of understanding their parents or relatives. The series will also have you thinking the possibilities of “what if” you were to reconnect with your high school sweetheart.

The series stars Teresa Palmer (notable for her work in Warm Bodies) who does a wonderful job bringing out the sweet tender imaginative aspects of Alison. Palmer is paired with Jim Sturgess (known for his work in 21), which he makes a great sentimentalist for his character Daniel who longs for that “loving feeling” of the past. These two actors have fantastic on-screen chemistry, expressing the characters feelings and the ability to connect with the viewers. I am looking forward to the reset of the episodes and curious on the series finale and the songs they select from their teenage years.

Lucy Gaffy and Jo Spain absolutely complement each other with collaborating on the Mix Tape miniseries. It was exciting to see that it won the 2025 SXSW Film Festival 2025 Audience Award in the TV Spotlight category. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew!

Written and directed by Andrew Patterson, The Rivals of Amziah King had its world premiere in Austin, Texas during the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, which received a standing ovation. The film stars Mathew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, Tony Revolori, and a special appearance from Kurt Russell.

This crime, thriller film has a well written storyline by Patterson, with plenty of comedic scenes that is set in a beautiful country backdrop. The film revolves around a group of country folks that are a fondly close community and have each other’s back not just only in a time of need, but as a way of life – like gathering up to play some music, sing and enjoy some cold drinks – a unique form of relationship.

Despite McConaughey’s 6 year acting absence, he delivered an exceptional performance as Amziah King, the beekeeper that operates the family honey farm and the former foster parent to Kateri. McConaughey did not miss a beat sharing his musical talents with the other cast members, turning up the jam sessions with catchy tunes.

Newcomer Angelina LookingGlass was a natural portraying the part of Kateri – the orphaned young lady who takes over her foster’s struggling business and encounters some nasty rivals that want to control the honey market. Kateri finds that inner queen bee and takes action to protect the family honey business. Kateri can be sweet as honey but will not hesitate to lash out a lethal sting if you do her and her beloved community harm.

I was impressed with the overall performance. The connection between the cast was visible throughout the film, which kept the audience engaged. I did want to see more of Kurt Russell’s character, however the choice of limiting his screen time did allow to focus on Kateri’s story. I believe this wonderful independent film sets the tone for 2025 film makers and will truly be a buzz worthy of an Oscar nomination.

The release date for The Rivals of Amziah King is TBD.