Leya Hale

Documentary filmmaker | Cultural storyteller | Advocate for Indigenous language and media sovereignty

A regional Emmy Award-winning documentary producer at Twin Cities PBS from the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate and Dine Nations, Leya is leading a movement to Indigenize the filmmaking process—rooting it in Indigenous language, kinship, and worldview. From performing with her family’s dance troupe, Eagle Spirit Dancers, in Los Angeles to showcasing films at international film festivals, her path has been shaped by a lifelong commitment to honoring her ancestors while challenging dominant narratives.

Leya is recognized as one of the nation’s most promising emerging filmmakers, distinguished by her ability to seamlessly weave cultural authenticity into her storytelling while successfully navigating mainstream film landscapes. Through films like The People’s Protectors and Bring Her Home, Leya has catalyzed conversations on Native resilience and systemic injustice, all while mentoring up-and-coming Indigenous and people of color storytellers. Her goal now is to create a new model of filmmaking led by Dakota language and values—one that doesn’t just portray Native stories but also lives and breathes them through every stage of production. 

With the Bush Fellowship, she will strengthen her Dakota language skills, expand her technical and narrative filmmaking mastery and build a global network of Indigenous creatives reshaping the future of media.

What change are you working to create?

In a typical “Western” filmmaking process, the structure is often linear, individualistic and driven by external conflict. Dakota storytelling emphasizes relationships, cycles and interconnectedness between people, the land and spiritual realms. By re-centering the filmmaking process around these principles, we open possibilities for a more holistic, community-driven and culturally respectful approach. I can help build a generation of Indigenous filmmakers who are both fluent in the technical aspects of filmmaking and who feel empowered to infuse their work with their language and cultural beliefs. 

Why are you the one to lead this change?

Guided by my unique experiences as an Indigenous woman, filmmaker, and community storyteller, I am prepared to lead a transformation of filmmaking grounded in Indigenous worldview and values. As a multiple regional Emmy Award-winning documentary producer for Twin Cities PBS, I have dedicated my career to bringing visibility to Indigenous stories, lifeways, and issues impacting my community. My work on films like Bring Her Home reflects my commitment to authentic storytelling and my understanding of the cultural nuances that mainstream media often overlooks.