PEMBROKE — The fourth annual Lumbee Film Festival returns with 18 new films directed by Indigenous filmmakers screening over four days during the 2022 Lumbee Homecoming celebration in Pembroke.

This year’s festival is presented by the North Carolina Museum of Art and includes live music, film, food and fellowship.

Last year’s festival was postponed due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

“Each year, the Lumbee Film Festival gets better and better,” said Kim Pevia, the festival’s founding director. “I am so excited about this year’s lineup of new films. Some are traditional and some have us thinking out of the box. Some are local and some are far away. Just like in real life. Something for everyone. Come join us. You will be glad you did.”

The festival’s opening night block of shorts, “The Sun Shines, The Water Flows” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, will include films by Lumbee youth like “Climate Change” and “Lumbee Accent” made through the Unlocking Silent Histories project, as well as films from the Wapikoni Mobile collective from Canada.

On Friday night, “The Transcenders,” a feature film by Montana Cypress — Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida — will start at 7 p.m., followed by a discussion with the filmmaker. The film follows the struggles of two brothers who find a remedy that promises to “transform their primitive behavior” as they transition to life in the city which differs greatly from their upbringing on the reservation. Cypress will also be in attendance for a live table read of an upcoming screenplay on June 2 at 4 p.m. Screenwriters and actors are encouraged to sign up on the event’s website.

The “Roots Run Deep” shorts block starts at 7 p.m. on July 2 and includes LFF Alum Justin Deegan’s poetic documentary “Concrete 49,” a subtle examination of the lives of indigenous people living in New York City. The “All My Relations” shorts block brings together five dramatic works to close out the festival’s survey of short-form indigenous cinema and screens at 5 p.m. July 3.

The festival closes at 7 p.m. July 3 with a screening of “RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World,” an electrifying look at the American Indian influence on popular music and how artists like North Carolina’s own Link Wray helped to define its evolution and forever changed the trajectory of rock n’ roll. Before the film, Robeson county native and Lumbee Tribe member Charly Lowry will perform a mixture of her well-known songs along with new works.

Lowry appears in “RUMBLE” along with mentor Pura Fé and many other well-known Lumbee musicians.

Lowry first gained international recognition as a semi-finalist on American Idol in 2004 but has since built a following for her unique, energetic and captivating performances. She is also active as an advocate for American Indian rights and women’s rights.

All screenings are free and open to the public, taking place in the Thomas Business Building Auditorium on the campus of the University of North Carolina Pembroke. The Lumbee Film Festival is organized through a partnership with the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and is funded by the North Carolina Museum of Art, ARRAY, SouthArts and the NC Arts Council.

For the full festival schedule visit https://www.cucalorus.org/lumbee-film-festival/.