Alaska Native documentary selected for LA SKINS FEST

Koahnic Broadcast Corporation’s documentary Niqipiaq: To Eat Real Food will screen Nov. 21 at the 20th Annual LA SKINS FEST in Hollywood. The film spotlights Arctic Alaska Native food traditions, cultural continuity and the health stakes of traditional foodways in changing communities.

Why it matters: - The selection gives an Alaska Native story a larger Hollywood festival platform focused on Native voices and representation. - The film highlights traditional food systems as a cultural, health and identity issue, not just a food story. - The screening adds Arctic Alaska Native perspectives to a festival lineup built around Native filmmakers, artists and audiences.

What happened: - Koahnic Broadcast Corporation announced that its documentary, Niqipiaq: To Eat Real Food, was selected for the 20th Annual LA SKINS FEST. - The festival runs Nov. 18-22, 2026, in Hollywood. - The film is scheduled to screen Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. - A Q&A session follows at 7 p.m.

The details: - Niqipiaq: To Eat Real Food follows traditional subsistence practices in Arctic Alaska Native communities. - The film takes viewers onto the sea ice with a hunting crew. - It also moves into family and community spaces where traditional foods are harvested, prepared, stored and shared. - The documentary connects feeding families with cultural knowledge passed down through generations. - The film explores how traditional food systems, cultural identity and health intersect as Arctic communities face a changing climate. - The documentary also examines dependence on processed foods and the importance of revitalizing traditional foodways. - Alexis “Alex” Anoruk Sallee, the director, is Inupiaq and from Anchorage, with family ties in the Arctic region. - Sallee began her television and film career in sound design before moving into directing and producing. - Jaclyn Sallee is the executive producer and president and CEO of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation. - The film is presented by Vision Maker Media and distributed by American Public Television. - Festival information and tickets are available at LA SKINS FEST. - More information about the film is available at Niqipiaq.

Between the lines: - The festival placement suggests growing space for Indigenous-made films that center living cultural practices, not just historical narratives. - Alexis Sallee’s director’s statement frames the film as both personal and educational, rooted in family memory and intergenerational teaching. - The project also positions food tradition as a response to cultural erosion and climate pressure, which raises the stakes beyond a single community event.

What's next: - Niqipiaq: To Eat Real Food will screen in Hollywood during the festival on Nov. 21. - The post-screening Q&A could give audiences and filmmakers a chance to discuss Alaska Native food traditions, representation and preservation. - LA SKINS FEST continues through Nov. 22 with more than 50 screenings and industry events.

The bottom line: - Niqipiaq: To Eat Real Food is heading to a major Native-focused festival with a story that links food, identity and resilience in Alaska Native communities.