Albuquerque, NM, April 12 – With much anticipation from the American Indian and Canadian Aboriginal Arts and Entertainment industry audience and fans, the Award nominees, in multiple categories, have been announced and released for the 2011 North American Indigenous Image Awards event (NAIIA 2011).  Award nominees fall into fourteen (14) categories including: Outstanding Actor (Film or TV), Outstanding Actress (Film or TV), Outstanding Feature Film, Outstanding Album Single, Outstanding Blues Jazz Album, Outstanding Hip Hop Rap Album, Outstanding Country Album, Outstanding Comedy Performance, Outstanding Magazine, Outstanding Calendar, and more.  The NAIIA 2011 event is hosted and sponsored by the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Albuquerque.  NAIIA 2011 is taking place on Friday, April 29, 2011, in the Hard Rock Showroom. The show begins with a Red Carpet Opening at 6pm and Awards show at 7pm.

Nominees for Outstanding Actor include: Gil Birmingham for his role in “Eclipse”, Gary Farmer for his role in “Good  Neighbors”, Zahn McClarnon for his role in “Medium”, Chaske Spencer for his role in “New Moon”, and Noah Watts for his role in “Search for the Worlds Best Indian Taco”.  Excitement is unraveling as two (2) Twilight Saga actors are going head-to-head for the NAIIA Outstanding Actor Award: Gil Birmingham (Eclipse) and Chaske Spencer (New Moon). This is creating much buzz on social networks and in the media alike.

Outstanding Actress nominees include the following great talent: Kaniehtiio Horn for her role in “Mohawk Girls”, Crystle Lighting for her role in “Search for the World’s Best Indian Taco”, and Georgina Lightning for her role in “Older Than America”.   Outstanding Feature Film award nominees include: “Barking Water “written and directed by Sterlin Harjo, “Older Than America” written and directed by Georgina Lightning, and “Pearl” produced by David Rennke and the Chickasaw Nation.  In the area of music, the following works are up for Outstanding Album Single: “The Storm” by DOC feat. Spencer Battiest, “Don’t Make Me Love You” by Victoria Blackie, “Soul Back Jack” by Desiree Dorion, “What if  We Could” by Eagle & Hawk, and “The Original 2 Step” by Chase Manhattan.

“The NAIIA Awards show is different from other Indigenous Awards shows.” comments Christine Means, Co-Founder and Executive Producer of the NAIIA event.  “The NAIIA awards are not structured as a people’s choice awards program. These awards are not a popularity contest.  The nominees are reviewed and evaluated by a carefully chosen selection committee composed of seasoned industry professionals.”  For a complete list of NAIIA nominees, visit www.indigenousimageawards.com.

The awards will include performances by several of  the NAIIA nominees along with Award Presentations made by top native stars and professionals in the arts.  Some of the presenters include: Chaske Spencer, nominee and actor ( New Moon, Eclipse, Into the West, Skins); Gil Birmingham, nominee and actor  (Rango, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Into the West), Hollywood Casting Director, Rene Haynes (New Moon, Eclipse, Into the West, Dances with Wolves); and guitarist-singer, Grammy-Award Winner, 5 time NAMA Winner, Multi-platinum recording artist, Creator/Director of The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s “Seminole Star Search & Native Music Rocks”, and the Vice President of  Native Music Rocks Records”,  Micki Free.

As a compliment to the NAIIA awards show, the NAIIA Executives are pleased to announce an exciting new addition to the NAIIA 2011 event.  A Hollywood Casting Call for the movie CROOKED ARROWS has been arranged and will be taking place in conjunction with the NAIIA Awards on Thursday, April 28. Rene Haynes, who does the majority of the casting of Indigenous people for Hollywood comments “Rene Haynes Casting is very excited to pair up with the North American Indigenous Image Awards to help promote Natives in the arts. Our upcoming casting call will give many aspiring young Native American actors the opportunity to read for the fun and exciting upcoming feature film CROOKED ARROWS (about the great sport of Lacrosse!).” For details on the April 28th casting call or to learn about auditioning via video submission, visit the film’s all new web site: www.crookedarrows.com”.

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