Acclaimed Native American actor guest of Film & Digital Arts Mentor Series

Renowned actor Gary Farmer, known for his work in TV series Resident Alien and Reservation Dogs, appeared at The University of New Mexico Department of Film and Digital Arts as part of its ongoing Mentor Series. The talk was Monday, Feb. 19, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. in conjunction with the Indigenous People on Screen class taught by journalist Tara Gatewood.

Farmer is an actor and musician, born on Six Nations along the Grand River, Ohsweken, Ontario. He is widely recognized as a pioneer in the development of Indigenous media in Canada and was the founding director of an urban Indian radio network, Aboriginal Voices Radio Network. He also published Aboriginal Voices Magazine from 1993 – 2003.

“We are honored to host the legendary Gary Farmer. His remarkable screen presence, so integral to the many important movies and TV shows in which he’s appeared, has made him a firm favorite among students and faculty,” said James Stone, associate professor and Chair of the department.

Farmer began performing on stage, working in theater from 1975 – 1987 in Canada. He has been nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards for Best Supporting Male in the films Powwow Highway (1989); Dead Man (1995) which won the1996 European Academy Award for Best Foreign Film; and Smoke Signals (1998). He has also directed several popular short films, both independent and for television, and was the executive producer and a director of the APTN entertainment series Buffalo Tracks.

Recent credits include series regular on the TV series Resident Alien, Reservation Dogs, The English, The Curse, and independent films: Quantum Cowboys, Blood Quantum, The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw and Run Woman Run and appearing in Cody Lightning’s new hilarious hit feature, Hey Viktor!

Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers’ album, Fool for Love, won Best Americana Album at the 2023 New Mexico Music Awards. Sing That Song reached number 5 on the Top 40 Indigenous Music Countdown in Canada. Their music can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

Gatewood, an award-winning veteran journalist, enrolled citizen of the Pueblo of Isleta/Diné, is currently the director of the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Fund for Indigenous Journalists Reporting on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Transgender People (MMIWG2T). She is also currently the voice of Indigenous Foundation, a music and public affairs program heard on Santa Fe’s KSFR 101.1 FM.

The Department of Film & Digital Arts Mentor Series was inaugurated to celebrate 30-plus years of film education at UNM. Each semester we invite a distinguished group of alumni and film luminaries to talk to our students and the community about how they found success doing what they love. If you want to work in the digital media fields, this series is a fabulous source of advice and useable strategies. All events are free and open to the public.