Maetoo Keema (Welcome)
Nonfiction
Directing | Producing | Writing
Tsanavi Spoonhunter
is a Northern Arapaho and Northern Paiute nonfiction film director, producer and writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of California, Berkeley, with a documentary film concentration. In 2023, she founded the independent multimedia production company, Mahebe Media, LLC, and serves as its CEO. Currently, Spoonhunter is a fellow at Firelight Media, Open Society Foundations and a Chicken & Egg Pictures grantee.
Documentary
Recent data tell us that 1.5 out of 10 film directors are women, and less than one percent are Native American. Spoonhunter is one of many talented Native filmmakers who are creating narrative-shifting works in the nonfiction film industry.
Writing
Less than 0.5 percent of journalists in the United States are Native American, and only 23 percent of top editors at major media outlets across the country are women. Spoonhunter’s journalism work has mainly been in the freelance field, and has aided in creating accurate news coverage of Indigenous issues since 2014.
Honors
At the American Indian Film Festival— the world's oldest film festival dedicated to Indigenous cinema— Spoonhunter received her first national film award. Before then, her journalism was supported through fellowship opportunities. Today, several respected organizations across the country have recognized her film and journalism contributions.
Media
Spoonhunter has been featured in podcasts, news articles and other industry publications. As she continues her work as an emerging director, producer and writer, she’s also learning how to best articulate her films and journalism to individuals and audiences of all backgrounds.