Sterlin Harjo (born November 14, 1979) is a Native American director, producer and screenwriter from Oklahoma. He is a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and a Muscogee descendant. He has directed three feature films, two documentaries, as well as the FX comedy-drama series Reservation Dogs and The Lowdown, all of them set in his home state of Oklahoma and concerned primarily with Native American and Oklahoman people.
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Early life and education
Harjo, a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and a Muscogee descendant, was born and raised in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He studied art and film at the University of Oklahoma.
Career
In 2004, Harjo received a fellowship from the Sundance Institute. His short film Goodnight, Irene premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and received a special jury award at the Aspen Shortsfest. In 2006, he received a fellowship from the newly formed organization United States Artists.
Harjo's first feature film, Four Sheets to the Wind (2007), tells the story of a young Seminole man who travels from his small hometown to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to visit his sister after the death of their father. The film premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, where it was nominated for the grand jury prize. Harjo was named best director at the 2007 American Indian Film Festival. The film's co-star Tamara Podemski won a Sundance special jury prize for her performance in the picture, and she was later nominated for best supporting actress at the 2007 Independent Spirit Awards.
