Shea Vassar is a writer and filmmaker. Their obsession with movies started when they were just a little girl in Oklahoma. Friends would come over for sleepovers and they would make them watch Singin’ in the Rain or My Fair Lady instead of whatever newest movie had just come out on VHS. Since then, they have embraced their nerdiness through writing and making short films, even some on 16mm. Since moving to New York City in 2016, they have actively been a member of the online film criticism community. They are currently a staff writer at Film Daze and have been featured by Ebert Voices, Nylon Magazine, Zora Magazine, and High Country News. All their published work can be found on their website, which they update regularly. Because they are a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a member of the Native American Journalists Association, they are constantly reading and researching the cinematic theory behind Native American representation on screen. This has included a deep dive into the films of John Ford, several essays regarding Native imagery within certain new releases, and reflecting on films by Native directors. They want to continue this study for many moons, however the want for Native writers and overall representation is sadly not in demand (though it should be). Though they’ve dabbled in making some of their own works of cinema, they have bigger plans that are still in the beginning stages. To check out some of their original work along with some movie edits they have completed, check out their Vimeo account.
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https://www.instagram.com/justsheavassar