Indigenous storytellers are producing some of the most compelling work in film and TV today. Their unique perspectives bring depth and authenticity to stories often overlooked. Here are five essential movies and shows directed by Indigenous filmmakers.

Reservation Dogs

Filmmaker: Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muscogee) and Taika Waititi (Te Āti Awa/Te Whānau-ā-Apanui)

A Peabody Award-winning dramedy, Reservation Dogs is a brilliant and heartfelt series that follows four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma as they commit petty crimes to fund their dream of moving to California. Co-created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, the show masterfully balances laugh-out-loud humor with profound moments of grief and cultural identity. It's groundbreaking for its almost entirely Indigenous cast and creative team, offering a slice-of-life look at a community rarely seen with such wit and authenticity.

Where to Stream: Hulu

Rutherford Falls

Filmmaker: Co-created by Sierra Teller Ornelas (Navajo) with Ed Helms and Michael Schur

A sharp and charming sitcom, Rutherford Falls tackles complex issues of history, cultural ownership, and community with incredible humor and heart. The story revolves around the lifelong friendship between Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms), a proud descendant of his town’s white founder, and Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding), a member of the Minishonka Nation who is trying to preserve her own cultural legacy. With one of the largest Indigenous writers' rooms in television history, the series offers a nuanced and hilarious look at American history from a modern Native perspective.

Where to Stream: Peacock

Wildhood

Filmmaker: Bretten Hannam (Mi’kmaw/L’nu)

This poignant and beautifully shot coming-of-age drama follows Link, a rebellious two-spirit Mi’kmaw teenager who flees his abusive father in search of his long-lost mother and his Indigenous heritage. Along the way, he befriends Pasmay, a traveling pow wow dancer who helps him reconnect with his culture and embrace his identity. Director Bretten Hannam crafts a powerful and moving story about self-discovery, resilience, and the importance of community.

Where to Stream: Hulu

Smoke Signals

Filmmaker: Chris Eyre (Cheyenne/Arapaho)

No list of Indigenous-led cinema is complete without the groundbreaking 1998 classic Smoke Signals. Directed by Chris Eyre and based on a short story by Sherman Alexie, this film was the first of its kind to be written, directed, and co-produced by Indigenous people. It’s a road trip comedy-drama about two Coeur d'Alene men, the stoic Victor and the quirky Thomas, who leave their reservation to retrieve the ashes of Victor’s estranged father. The film shattered stereotypes with its humor, heart, and honest portrayal of friendship and forgiveness.

Where to Stream: Paramount+, Pluto TV

Blood Quantum

Filmmaker: Jeff Barnaby (Mi'kmaq)

If you're looking for something in the horror genre, the late Jeff Barnaby’s brilliant and incisive zombie film is a must-see. In Blood Quantum, the dead are coming back to life, but there's a unique twist: only people with Indigenous blood are immune to the plague. The film centers on the Mi'kmaq community of Red Crow as they must decide whether to shelter the non-Native survivors who threaten to destroy their fortified reservation. It's a gory, action-packed, and fiercely intelligent thriller that uses the zombie apocalypse as a powerful allegory for colonialism, survival, and sovereignty.

Where to Stream: AMC+, Shudder