Maetoo Keema (Welcome)

Nonfiction

Directing | Producing | Writing

Tsanavi Spoonhunter

is a Northern Arapaho and Northern Paiute nonfiction storyteller based in the Reno- Lake Tahoe Area who serves as director, producer and writer. She holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of California, Berkeley, with a documentary film concentration. In 2023, she founded the independent multimedia company, Mahebe Media. Currently, Spoonhunter is a fellow at Open Society Foundations and is a Chicken & Egg Pictures and ITVS grantee.

Documentary

Recent data tell us that 1.5 out of 10 film directors are women, and less than one percent are Native American. Spoonhunter is one of many talented Native filmmakers who are creating narrative-shifting works in the nonfiction film industry.

Writing

Less than 0.5 percent of journalists in the United States are Native American, and only 23 percent of top editors at major media outlets across the country are women. Spoonhunter’s journalism work has mainly been in the freelance field, and has aided in creating accurate news coverage of Indigenous issues since 2014.

Honors

At the American Indian Film Festival— the world's oldest film festival dedicated to Indigenous cinema— Spoonhunter received her first national film award. Before then, her work was supported through academic opportunities. Today, several respected organizations across the country have recognized her film and journalism contributions.

Media

Spoonhunter has been featured in podcasts, news articles and other industry publications. As she continues her work as an emerging director, producer and writer, she’s also learning how to best articulate her films and journalism to individuals and audiences of all backgrounds.

“I feel a responsibility to create films that give balance to the beauty of a place and its people, but also reveal the realities of tribal sovereignty in a contemporary context.”

— Tsanavi Spoonhunter

Pesa u (Thank you)!

Let’s connect.