Cherokee Film honored for innovative approach to narrative sovereignty

TULSA, Okla. —  The Heartland Regional Emmy Awards recognized Cherokee Film’s “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People” with seven awards during the annual award gala on Saturday, July 20.

The show, which is often referred to as OsiyoTV, features the real-life stories of the Cherokee Nation and its citizens. The tribe’s cultural television series, and the short documentaries within it, continue to be honored with numerous regional, national and international accolades for its innovative approach toward narrative sovereignty.

The 2024 Heartland Regional Emmy Awards brings OsiyoTV’s total Emmy wins to 29, making the docuseries one of the most-awarded Native shows on television. 

“It is an absolute honor to be entrusted by our tribe and fellow Cherokees to help share, preserve and celebrate these magnificent stories with the world,” said Jennifer Loren, executive producer and host. “We’re beyond grateful to have such an amazing team working to make this show a success and are extraordinarily proud to see it continually recognized throughout the industry. By earning a record seven Emmys this year and nearly 30 overall, OsiyoTV continues to demonstrate there is a yearning and space for Native-led content and representation across TV and film.”

This year, OsiyoTV received nine nominations in categories covering arts, entertainment, diversity, history, culture, human interest, nostalgia, lifestyle and societal concerns from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The groundbreaking docuseries received seven additional Emmy statuettes for episodes aired during its eighth season, the most the series has received in one season. 

Since premiering in 2015, “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People” has vibrantly featured hundreds of Cherokees from both past and present. The first-of-its-kind series, hosted and directed by Cherokee Nation citizen, filmmaker and Emmy-winning journalist Jennifer Loren, is breaking barriers and helping change how Native Americans are represented by bringing the rich traditions and compelling modern stories of the Cherokee people to viewers across the globe.

Cherokee Film includes four distinct branches — Cherokee Film Productions, Cherokee Film Studios, Cherokee Film Commission and Cherokee Film Institute — all working toward a shared goal of innovating narrative sovereignty while creating economic development within the tribe’s reservation. Cherokee Film Productions develops, produces, promotes and distributes a variety of original content, including the popular and award-winning OsiyoTV, in film, TV and other media that tells authentic Cherokee stories on behalf of the tribe, its people and its businesses. 

Founded in 1947, the National Academy of Television Arts & Science and the Emmy Award recognize and celebrate the best in the television industry.

For more information and to watch “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People,” please visit www.osiyo.tv or follow OsiyoTV on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.