Bird Runningwater

Bird Runningwater belongs to the Cheyenne and Mescalero Apache Tribal Nations, and grew up on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico. Since 2001 he has guided the Sundance Institute’s investment in Native American and Indigenous filmmakers while building a global Indigenous film community. Indigenous artists he has supported to get their work made and seen include Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muskogee Creek Nations); Taika Waititi (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui); Aurora Guerrero (Xicana); and Sydney Freeland (Diné) among many, many others. Based in Los Angeles, California, Runningwater serves as the Director of Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program, DEI, & Artist Programs. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. He currently serves as the Co-Executive Producer of the TV show “Sovereign” which is currently in development with NBC, Warner Brothers Television and Ava DuVernay’s Array Filmworks.