Award Winning Native Filmmaker Mike J. Marin Brings Urban Native Horror to a New Dimension
Award winning Native filmmaker/writer Mike J. Marin (Navajo/Laguna Pueblo/Washoe) found himself increasingly frustrated during the pandemic. A diabetic, he was careful to isolate himself to protect his health. However, the restrictions shut down most options to pursue his greatest love, making indie films, particularly horror films. “I was a fan of movies, mainly horror and action, since I was very young,” explains Marin. A self-taught artist, music producer and filmmaker, Marin sharpened his skills at Chicago’s Columbia College, earning a B.A in film/video. While in Chicago, Marin wrote and directed The Smudging , beginning his journey into Urban Native Horror. Released in 2015, the film has over 25 million views on Amazon Prime. But mid-pandemic, he was unable to pursue the many projects running around in his head and his frustration grew. Finally, Marin’s wife said to him, “You have degrees in filmmaking and graphic arts. Do something! You have a room full of action figure