Loren Waters is a force quietly—and powerfully—reshaping Native storytelling on screen. A filmmaker based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Waters draws from her Cherokee and Kiowa heritage to craft narratives that honor Indigenous experiences, spark emotion, and promote healing. Whether she’s behind the camera directing her award-winning documentary Tiger, working on major productions like Reservation Dogs, or mentoring fellow Native creatives, Waters is deeply intentional about how stories are told—and by whom. Her work exists at the intersection of film, environmental justice, and community, and it’s through that lens that she continues to uplift, inspire, and imagine what Native cinema can be.
Would you mind introducing yourself and your background to our audience to start?
I am a filmmaker. I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on the Muscogee Creek Nation Reservation. I am a Cherokee Nation and Kiowa tribal citizen. I grew up in Norman, which is about two hours away from here in Oklahoma. I love living here, and I’m so grateful that I can continue to work in Tulsa in the film industry. It’s an honor…