The Heart Stays tells the story of two Native American sisters from Osage Nation who leave the traditions and safety of their Native Nation to follow their own long-held dreams-the older one to attend a distinguished college and the younger one to become a rock star. Soon after leaving their beloved land and community their life journeys collide with racism, drugs and violence forcing the older sister to choose between her own life’s work and saving her sister’s life.
Diane Fraher is an enrolled member of Osage Nation with documented Cherokee heritage as well, who is known for writing, directing, and producing “The Heart Stays” (2024) the first nationally distributed feature film by a Native American woman. Indican Pictures released the film in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tulsa, OK and it’s currently available on fifteen video on demand platforms. “The Heart Stays” was nominated for Best Picture at the 2024 Red Nation Film Festival.
The extensive list of awards and artist fellowships she has received for her filmmaking include: Jerome Foundation, National Geographic All Roads Film Project, New York State Council on the Arts-Individual Artist Program, Paul Robeson Fund for Independent Media, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Native Arts and Culture Foundation and Osage Nation Foundation. Diane Fraher is a Fellow in Screenwriting from the New York Foundation for the Arts and a Made in NY Women’s Film Fund Fellowship for The Heart Stays.
She is one of the principal artists who formed the New York Movement in Contemporary Native Arts, which is one of only two documented Native American arts movement in the United States. (No Reservation: New York Contemporary Native American Art Movement)
Ms. Fraher founded American Indian Artists Inc. (AMERINDA), located in New York, which is the only Native multi-arts organization of its kind in the United States for Native artists. There she has supported countless Native artists, student artists and community members.
