Arts & Culture

Award-winning actor Zahn McClarnon to headline Indigenous Peoples Day events

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 13:47:59 +0000

Award-winning actor Zahn McClarnon to headline Indigenous Peoples Day events Megan M Rogers Thu, 09/17/2026 - 07:47

Award-winning film and television actor Zahn McClarnon will headline ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� 2026 Indigenous Peoples Day events. Clint Carroll, faculty director for the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies and associate professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies, will moderate a Monday, Oct. 12, keynote conversation with McClarnon centered on Indigenous storytelling, history and the future beyond.

Zahn McClarnon, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��'s 2026 Indigenous Peoples Day keynote speaker

The keynote conversation and ensuing luncheon will take place 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom. In addition to the Oct. 12 event, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� celebration includes a full day of events at multiple sites on Wednesday, Oct. 14, with two panel discussions and a film screening and community conversation.

The events are co-sponsored by the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies and the Office of Leadership Support and Programming.

“As we commemorate ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� 150th anniversary, we recognize that the university’s legacy sits within the longer arc of Indigenous presence, perseverance, and excellence,” said Sonia DeLuca Fernández, senior vice chancellor for leadership support and programming. “This year’s theme aims to simultaneously mark institutional history and affirm Indigenous continuance in body, tradition, art, scholarship and activism. And we are thrilled to have Zahn McClarnon with us to help shine a spotlight on issues of importance to Native and Indigenous communities.”

McClarnon currently stars in and executive produces AMC’s acclaimed series “Dark Winds,” which recently completed production of its fifth season. Based on Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee novels, the series follows two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest as they investigate a string of seemingly unrelated crimes, confronting outside forces, personal demons and each other along the way. The late Robert Redford, who attended ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� and founded the Sundance Film Festival, also served as an executive producer for the show’s first three seasons.

McClarnon previously gained widespread acclaim for his role as Hanzee Dent on FX’s “Fargo,” his recurring portrayal of Akecheta on HBO’s “Westworld” and as Officer Mathias on “Longmire” (A&E/Netflix). He was a series regular on National Geographic’s “Barkskins” and AMC’s “The Son” and recurred in FX’s “Reservation Dogs.” And his film credits include co-starring in the crime thriller “The Silencing” and appearing in Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s “Doctor Sleep.”

The purpose of the luncheon following the conversation with McClarnon is to create space for community dialogue around the keynote and the overarching theme of this year’s events. The meal will include traditional Indigenous menu items inspired by local Indigenous chefs who trained campus catering staff.

The full agenda of events on Oct. 14 includes panels on land back and bison restoration initiatives and a screening of the film "People of the Sacred Land" about Colorado's Indigenous history. Panelists include tribal leaders and academic experts. These events provide participants with the opportunity to honor history and Indigenous wisdom, engage in critical dialogue, and build a collective and culturally sustaining vision at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��.

Full details on event locations and registration can be found on the Indigenous Peoples Day webpage.

Keynote

Who: Students, faculty, staff, community members
What: ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Indigenous Peoples Day keynote conversation featuring Zahn McClarnon
When: Monday, Oct. 12, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Where: University Memorial Center, Glenn Miller Ballroom

More campus events

Oct. 14: Panel discussions and film screening

“Land Back: Comparative Hemispheric Perspectives”
Lunch and “Colorado Buffalo Collective: Bison Back, Land Back—Restoring Buffalo, Land, and Relationship”
“Bison Back: Bringing Our Relatives Home”
“People of the Sacred Land: Film Screening and Community Conversation”

Campus resources

McClarnon currently stars in and executive produces AMC's acclaimed series "Dark Winds," which recently completed production of its fifth season and includes his directorial debut.

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Credit: Don Kohlbauer

The Sundance Film Festival will be coming to Boulder Jan. 21–31, 2027, the Sundance Institute announced today.

This follows a previous announcement that the Festival would be moving to Boulder, starting with the 2027 season, and a proposal submitted in June 2024 by the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Boulder).

The proposal had support from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), the Colorado Office of Film Television and Media, OEDIT‘s Business Funding & Incentives Division, Colorado Creative Industries, the Colorado Tourism Office and a regional coalition of partners, including the city of Boulder, the Boulder Chamber, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� and the Stanley Film Center.

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� is working closely with the Sundance Institute and the city of Boulder as planning progresses. Updates can be found both on the newly created ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Sundance Film Festival webpage and on the Visit Boulder website.

Tickets for the 2027 Sundance Film Festival are not yet for sale.

“As the Sundance Film Festival reflects on its incredible history in Utah, the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� community is excited to pick up the torch in Colorado,” said ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “Several ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� leaders were able to travel to Utah this winter and witness the creative and logistical feats underpinning this storied festival, helping us become well-prepared to serve as hosts in 2027. We are excited about how the Festival will create new opportunities for our students, faculty, staff and the extended community.”

Keep updated on the 2027 Sundance Film Festival

OEDIT expects the Festival will have a significant and growing economic impact to Colorado’s economy. The 2024 Festival contributed over $132 million to Utah’s economy, while creating 1,730 jobs for Utah residents and $69.7 million in wages. Over 24,000 visitors came from out of state for the Festival that year.

The Festival will offer new opportunities to students, faculty and staff. Exposure to the world-class filmmakers, actors, screenwriters and others that attend the Sundance Film Festival will inspire the next generation of artists.

More information about the Festival will be available on the Visit Boulder website, the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� webpage, and the Sundance Film Festival website.

The Sundance Film Festival is set to make its Boulder debut in January 2027. Find out the exact dates and how to stay connected as planning progresses.

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