The Macon Film Festival is thrilled to announce a special partnership with the Fire Starters Film Festival for its opening night film and the international premiere screening of "RED FEVER," a groundbreaking documentary directed by Catherine Bainbridge who will be in attendance at the festival. In addition to "RED FEVER," the festival will feature another powerful documentary, the short "ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (MEET ME AT THE CREEK)," directed by Loren Waters, a citizen of the Cherokee and Kiowa Nations. The opening night will culminate with an after-party at the McEachern Art Center (MAC), featuring an art exhibition by Muscogee (Creek) artists including; Jamie Bennett, Johnnie Diacon and Kenneth Johnson, further solidifying the connection between the film and festival partnership. 

The Fire Starters Film Festival, launched in 2023, focuses on showcasing film and visual art made by Indigenous filmmakers, with a particular emphasis on the Muscogee (Creek) Nation experience. The festival grew from the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative (ONPPI), a community-based group of Middle Georgia and Muscogee (Creek) citizens working together to expand the current site of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Macon into Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve. ONPPI is actively working to have Macon's Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park designated as the next national park. The bill is currently making its way through both Congress and, if passed, the park will be co-managed with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. 

“We are incredibly honored to partner with the Fire Starters Film Festival for our opening night,” MFF Board President Justin Andrews said. “‘RED FEVER’ and ‘MEET ME AT THE CREEK’ are profound films that highlight critical issues and celebrate Indigenous cultures. We are excited to share these stories with our audience and support the movement to designate Macon's Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park as a national park, setting a precedent for collaborative management with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.”

“The Fire Starters Film Festival started as an opportunity to compliment the Ocmulgee Indigenous history with a modern Indigenous look at contemporary expression through film and art,” ONPPI Director of Advocacy and Fire Starters Film Festival Founder Tracie Revis said. “Partnering with the Macon Film Festival is an incredible opportunity to help expand the audience’s viewing opportunities and to work with an established group that has proven its staying power in this community. This is an exciting time in Macon to showcase the historical and cultural aspects of the often under-represented Indigenous community. I’m excited for the Red Fever film and think the audience will enjoy what it has to offer.” 

"RED FEVER" offers an in-depth look at how Indigenous cultures have been reduced to stereotypes and appropriated by mainstream popular culture, and the impact this has had on Indigenous peoples. The film has previously been screened at HotDocs 2024 and TIFF 2024. More information about "RED FEVER” can be found on its official website and the trailer is available here. 

The documentary short "ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (MEET ME AT THE CREEK)," directed by Loren Waters, a citizen of the Cherokee and Kiowa Nations. This short tells the story of Cherokee elders, like Rebecca Jim, who believe that “what happens to the water happens to us.” It highlights Rebecca Jim’s lifelong fight to restore Tar Creek in Miami, Oklahoma, and the interconnectedness and values of the Cherokee Nation. More details about "ᏗᏂᏠᎯ ᎤᏪᏯ (MEET ME AT THE CREEK)” can be found on its official website.  

ONPPI Director of Advocacy Tracie Revis, a founder of the Fire Starters Film Festival and citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation based in Macon, will moderate a Q&A with the filmmakers. Revis is a renowned advocate and was recently a featured speaker at the TEDWomen’s Talk in Atlanta. 

 For more information about the Macon Film Festival, please visit maconfilmfestival.com.