Heather Rae

Heather Rae is a veteran filmmaker from a high-mountain upbringing and a radical orientation. Rae produced and directed the acclaimed documentary Trudell, which tells the story of Native American movement leader and poet, John Trudell. She also produced and directed feature documentary and Showtime Premiere First Circle, about the foster care system in the American west. She produced Frozen River for which she won the Paiget Producer Award. Frozen River won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, was nominated for two Academy Awards, as well as nine Gotham and Spirit Awards. Rae produced such feature films as Sundance premiere The Dry Land starring America Ferrera and feminist comedy Ass Backwards. Rae also produced festival darling I Believe in Unicorns from writer/director Leah Meyerhoff and Netflix Originals Tallulah starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney and Dude from Blacklist script by Olivia Milch. Rae recently produced Akicita, the only Native-made feature documentary about Standing Rock which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Formerly Rae ran the Native Program at the Sundance Institute. As a speaker and social critic Rae is working with both her settler and indigenous heritage to deepen the dialogue of reconciliation and responsibility in the Americas.