Summer 1972
6 year-old Sven, myself, and millions of other kids and adults in East Germany and all over the Eastern bloc see "Apachen," one out of twelve East German "Indianerfilme", opening the annual "Sommerfilmtage" - outdoor movie festivals all over East Germany.

November 1989
A wall collapses.

December 1994
Sven and I sit on a couch in Berlin, watching a re-run of "Apachen" on television. I live in Seattle now and fantasize about showing "Indian Movies" to my American friends.

July 1995
Sven, a freelance radio journalist in Berlin, visits me in Seattle. While sharing nostalgic East German memories, the idea of an "Indian Movie" festival in the U.S. is born - a circle that's closing.

August 1995 - May 1996
We contact the Berlin-based distributor, then try to find financial backing for subtitling six 35mm movies, at $10.000 a piece. German cultural exchange organizations, U.S. grant organizations, film foundations, international corporations: friendly interest but no money. We consider alternatives - video, computer-projected subtitles, live subtitle readings. Discouraged and frustrated, we call it off.

June 1996
The Berlin-based TV production company Hoferichter & Jacobs wants to produce a documentary for the German TV series "Mitmenschen" ("Fellow Citizens"), featuring our film festival. They offer to subtitle two of the films on Betacam video - for free. Now we have to do it.

July 1996
We go grassroots to find funding, and interest over 30 individual and small-business sponsors. Sven begins preparations for an event in Berlin, and invites "Indianerfilm" star Gojko Mitic for his first visit to the U.S. I start organizing a two-day film festival in Seattle.

August 1996
In an attempt to involve Native Americans in our project, I visit several Pow Wow's. Finally, I meet Richard Restoule, an Ojibway Indian elder, actor and teacher. Richard sees clips of East German "Indian Movies" while I nervously watch him. He is impressed and offers to help. The beginning of a wonderful friendship...

September 1996
High phone bills. Hundreds of emails and letters. Long hours at Kinko's. This web site goes online. Friends offer their help. Not enough sleep.

September 15, 1996
The "Wild East Goes West" film festival in Seattle is sold out. We add an additional night.

September 21, 1996
An "Indianerfilmfest" is celebrated at Kulturbrauerei in Berlin to symbolically send the movies from the Wild East to the Wild West.

• Filmauffuehrung
• Markt der indianischen Kultur mit Haendlern und Verlagen
• Stuntmen-Show vom Filmgelaende Babelsberg
• Hobby-Indianisten aus Ostdeutschland
• Schwarzkittel Five (alte DDR-Indianersongs in neuem Arrangement)
• PineRidge After Dark (PowWow-Taenzer)
• Liedermacher
• Bastel- und Malstaende
• Herr Blumenthal vom ORB-Fernsehclub
• "Ostrock test the West"-Diskothek

October 2, 1996
A professor from the Native American Studies Center at the University of Washington wants her class to attend the film festival - we add a fourth night, which gets sold out quickly.

October 10, 1996
Gojko and Sven arrive at SeaTac airport. A group of Tulalip Indians performs a welcoming ceremony. Richard, the Native American Indian actor, meets Gojko, the East German Indian actor, while German TV and NPR are recording. Richard, Sven, and I have dinner with our childhood hero.

October 11, 1996
The Seattle festival opens with "Die Soehne der grossen Baerin" at the Speakeasy Cafe in Seattle - U.S. premiere of East German "Indianerfilme". An on-site exhibition highlights the history of the movie series. An enthusiastic audience enjoys a hour-long panel discussion with Gojko, Richard, and UW professor Maureen Schwarz.

October 12, 1996
A Pow Wow is held at the Swinomish Indian reservation. Gojko is honored during a special presentation, and gives autographs to Native American children. Sven and I join Richard for a dance. Back in Seattle, 20 people are on the waiting list for "Apachen." A 6 year old Indian girl watches wide-eyed while Indian heroes ride across the screen - full circle... The Bosnian band Kultur Shock plays live for a film festival party.

October 13, 1996
Richard, Gojko, Sven, Natasha, and I share a very special afternoon. At night, another packed house for "Die Soehne der grossen Baerin", followed by a film discussion.

October 14, 1996
Gojko and Sven depart for Germany. The final festival night features "Apachen" and a discussion with UW students. We celebrate.