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Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

The face of a smiling young woman with face paint wearing beaded earrings against a colorful backdrop. Text: Mother Tongue Film Festival. February 19 to 22, Washington, D.C. 2026.

Your Invitation to the Smithsonian’s Mother Tongue Film Festival

27 languages, 25 films, 14 regions, 1 festival.

Map of North America with several points across the continent marked with a blue pinpoint.

Explore Native American Films in the Mother Tongue Story Map

Through documentaries and dramas, animations and music videos, this collection highlights the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Americas.

Two people in grass skirts stand on the shore, facing the ocean under an overcast sky.

Shared Experiences Through the Ongoing Virtual Mother Tongue Film Festival

Learn more about the films in the ongoing virtual festival

A five by two grid showing ten images from ten movies that will be showcased at the festival. In the top left corner, the Mother Tongue Film Festival logo boasts red and cream colors.

Don’t Miss the First Hybrid Mother Tongue Film Festival

Celebrate ten years of the festival with ten days of free programming

A young girl pulls strands on an oversized, multicolor basket.

The 2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival Guide for Kids and Families

Dive into sports, crafts, and more!

we-are-still-here-still.jpg

Finding Balance Is a Global Experience at the 2024 Mother Tongue Film Festival

In a world that often feels on the edge of instability, the 2024 Mother Tongue Film Festival theme is profoundly resonant.

American Sign Language alphabet

Hearing the Voices of Deaf Culture at the 1981 Folklife Festival

The landmark event introduced many hearing visitors to the stories, poems, sign play, jokes and traditions of the deaf community

(Photo by Authenticated News/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

Are You a Friend of Dorothy? Folk Speech of the LGBTQ Community

During the years before greater openness and understanding, members of the LGBTQ community sometimes resorted to coded speech or behavior as a safeguard. Other community members could understand these codes, but not outsiders.

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