An intimate portrait of teenagers trying to understand their world and their possibilities. The film weaves together video shot by teens and by the filmmaker, as they work together to make a film and create expressive outlets for youth in the community. They organize dances and community events and paint a mural. At the same time, with humor and pathos, these young people raise issues around violence, feeling misunderstood by adults and lacking respect in their community. Set in the small town of Sitka, Alaska, home to a large Alaska Native population, the video chronicles their creativity, concerns and dreams.
A hauntingly beautiful film that is true to the lyrical and unflinching spirit of James Welch's classic 1974 novel of Native American life. Virgil First Raise (Chaske Spencer, the Twilight trilogy) wakes in a ditch on the hardscrabble plains of Montana. He stumbles home to his ranch on the reservation only to learn that his wife, Agnes (Julia Jones), has left him. Worse, she's stolen his beloved rifle. Virgil sets out to find her, beginning an odyssey of inebriated intrigues with a mysterious "Airplane Man" (David Morse, The Green Mile), a beautiful barmaid, and two dangerous Men in Suits. His quixotic, modern-day vision quest moves Virgil ever closer to oblivion until he discovers a long-hidden truth about his identity. But is it too late?
Indigenous dancers Sean and Adrian challenge the rulebook of San Manuel's Native American Sweetheart Special as they attempt to compete in the annual couple's competition. Dancing not only against the other dancers, but against the drums of oppression and closed-mindedness, this two-spirit couple is determined to rewrite the rules of "one man, one woman" with their resplendent charisma, character and resilience.
With an older brother in jail and living with their single mother on Pine Ridge Reservation, Johnny and his sister Jashuan's lives develop new challenges when their absentee cowboy father suddenly dies. The loss prompts Johnny to strike out for Los Angeles, but it would mean leaving behind his beloved sister.
This revelatory documentary brings to light the profound and overlooked influence of Indigenous people on popular music in North America. Focusing on music icons like Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Taboo, Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Jesse Ed Davis, Robbie Robertson, and Randy Castillo, Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World shows how these pioneering Native American musicians helped shape the soundtracks of our lives.
Buddy Red Bow is struggling, in the face of persecution, by greedy developers and political in-fighting, to keep his nation on a Montana Cheyenne Reservation financially solvent and independent. Philbert, a simple-minded friend of Buddy’s, ardently pursues Native American/First Nation wisdom and lore wherever he can find it—even on Bonanza—in order to earn his warrior name. He’s even got his war pony, Protector: a beat-up old wreck of a car. Buddy’s sister has been arrested in Santa Fe, and together Buddy and Philbert set off on a road trip to look after her kids and go bail her out. However, Bonnie’s arrest has something strange about it as her friend Rabbit points out. As the miles roll by, Philbert’s faith challenges Buddy’s hard-edged view of the world (and occasional bout of reckless violence), and together they face the realities and dreams of being Cheyenne in the modern-day US as they fight to free Bonnie and her children and elude the Feds.
OYATE is a time capsule of moments, feelings, gestures, and events that took place on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota during the summer of 2015.The narrative, pieced together from the daily activities of two Lakota families and a few other subjects, anchors the viewer among the rhythms and sounds of everyday life while sidestepping the kinds of negative, issue-based approaches that have so long dominated films set in native spaces. While not an outwardly politicized film, Oyate is a deeply political one; a film that represents a collection of seemingly commonplace occurrences (a conversation in the back of a truck, a group of young girls lighting off fireworks, a wedding reception) as deeply felt grasps toward purpose in an often difficult world.
A uniquely delicate and moving road movie, Barking Water uses the ruggedly beautiful backdrop of rural Oklahoma to tell the story of a proud Native American attempting to reconnect with his estranged family.
Go in-depth with the Trickster archetype. Although not exclusive to Northern American tales, the Trickster is the most popular character in Native American myths. There are likely more stories about him than about anyone else.
More Than a Word offers a fascinating look inside the growing movement to change the name of the Washington R*dskins football team.Directed by brothers John and Kenn Little, who are members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, the film traces how the word “r*dskin” evolved from being a term of racist derision and slander to being embraced as the name of one of the NFL’s most beloved franchises. It also draws on the voices of Native American activists and scholars to place this controversy within the wider context of Native American history and racial stereotyping more generally. More Than a Word is an ideal classroom resources for clarifying what's truly at stake in contemporary debates about cultural appropriation and Native American-themed mascots.
This documentary profiles the late Kanalu Young whose dive into shallow water at age 15 left him quadriplegic. Angry and defiant, he begins to change when he discovers an untold story of Hawaiian history which fires him up to become a leader of his people.
A good day to die chronicles a movement that started a revolution and inspired a nation. By recounting the life story of Dennis Banks, the Native American who co-founded the American Indian Movement (AIM) in 1968 to advocate and protect the rights of American Indians, the film provides an in-depth look at the history and issues surrounding AIM's formation. From the forced assimilation of Native Americans within boarding schools, to discrimination by law enforcement authorities, to neglect by government officials responsible for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, AIM sought redress for the many grievances that its people harbored. Banks' personal struggle culminated in major armed confrontations at Custer, South Dakota and Wounded Knee -- climactic flash points which saw him standing steadfast as a leader for his cause. Bittersweet and compelling, A Good Day to Die charts the rise and fall of a movement that fought for the civil rights of American Indians.
After disappearing for nearly a century, THE DAUGHTER OF DAWN returns to once again break boundaries for Native American cinema. An all-Indigenous cast directed by Norbert Myles tell the story of a love triangle amidst rising conflict between Kiowa and Comanche villages, featuring thrilling fight scenes, dance performances and more. Newly restored in 2K by the Oklahoma Historical Society, this subtly acted, beautifully conducted silent melodrama remains revelatory for its dedication to the stories of real Indigenous peoples.
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