#indigenous film

[jasminejarss]

Sugarcane (2024) dir. Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie

bear witness

[mariwatchesmovies]

Jazzy (2024) dir. Morrisa Maltz  cine. Andrew Hajek

[beemovieerotica]

hi have we all seen the stop motion films from spotted fawn productions

[devilledgreggs]

Christina’s world (Andrew Wyeth, 1948) // BeDevil (Tracey Moffatt, 1993)

[eros-thanatos89]

Thoughts on Reservation Dogs

I recently watched the Reservation Dogs finale and my soul is destroyed, but like, in a good way? The show just consistently leaves me feeling hollowed out, but like, in the way of that quote about opening ing a hole so you can let the light in…(can’t remember where thats from now…)

I’ll try not to give away any spoilers for folks still watching S3, but I felt the need to just process my thoughts and feelings about the series as a whole.

First of all, it’s amazing to see such an explosion of Indigenous-made media in the last few years (I also highly recommend the fun teen horror film Slash/Back!) and Reservation Dogs just feels steeped in the tradition of not just Indigenous culture, but Indigenous film and literature. I’m the first to admit that I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to Indigenous media as a whole, so I’ll just speak to what I know.

I’m a big fan of the author Sherman Alexie and his influence (particularly his short story collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and his movie Smoke Signals, which is based on it) on Rez Dogs is really clear: that balance of humor and tragedy, the surrealism/magical realism, the tongue in cheek way the narrative pokes fun at itself and characters poke fun at themselves and each other and use humor to cope with their struggles.

I really love how the show bounces around between present and past, characters speak to spirits and ancestors, and the community and culture anchor even the most lost characters on their search for themselves and for meaning. The way it handles intergenerational trauma and its impact on individuals and the community is so poignant. And then, in the same episode, it’ll have you in stitches cracking up at the antics and misadventures of the characters. AND the equal attention paid to both male and female characters and the older and younger generations is SO GOOD. And really highlights how sadly rare that still is in mainstream media.

This show has made me cry (several times in one episode, on multiple occasions), made me laugh out loud, and made me think about history, community, identity and friendship.

Seriously, if you have to yet watch it please, please do!! Sterlin Harjo and the others writers are fantastic, the cast of actors is amazing, the music slaps, the visual storytelling is great…seriously this show kicks so much ass and is so impactful! And fun!!

Ok, I could rant forever about how much I adore Reservation Dogs.

I’ll definitely be rewatching! Just want to steep myself in that world a little longer! ❤️❤️

(Come howl with me about it if you’re also a fan! Owoo!)

[3majorursaminor77]

I don't want it to end but I really love the way it ended at the same time. Three(!) is a good number of seasons for a tv series in my opinion. Long enough to fully explore the themes and stories and allow the characters to grow and have realistic arcs but also short enough so it's not dragging out. End on a high note. I really really love this show. Me and my family were watching the third season weekly as the new episodes came out but then were craving more of it so we went back and re-watched the old seasons. It's really fucking good. I laugh my ass off at so many moments but there are so many poignant and beautiful and moving moments too. Definitely recommend if you haven't watched it yet.

[loversveil]

The Whaler Boy (Китобой) dir. Philipp Yuryev (2020)

[allweknewisdead]

The Daughter of Dawn (1920) - Norbert A. Myles

From time immemorial, the eternal triangle.

[mostunlikelytosucceed]

Guts (Hastiin Bí'ach'íí')

Guts (Hastiin Bí'ach'íí') is a short film being directed by Elias Gold, of the youtube channel Native Media Theory.

"A hungry drifter on the Navajo reservation embarks on a comedic adventure to steal ceremonial sheep intestines, weaving together an uproarious tale that pays homage to Navajo folk stories and language. GUTS illuminates a quiet facet of Navajo life with raw sincerity and heartfelt humor."

Their mission statement for the film from their funding campaign: "GUTS is a comedy adventure that embraces Navajo culture while honoring the spirit of our language and oral tradition, rooted in the stories passed down from my great-grandmother. This tale represents a proud milestone as one of the first indigenous-led projects in Utah's 100 years of film history."

This is his debut film and is very close (84%!) to reaching his funding goal as of posting this, but there's only a little over a day left to pledge support for the project! It would be amazing if he and his team could reach their funding goal, so if you appreciate film and want to see more Navajo-led films, consider supporting this awesome project, or at least spread the word! Check out more details, including the team working on it as well as incentives for pledging, at their Seed & Spark campaign here: https://seedandspark.com/fund/guts-shortfilm#story

EDIT: They got to 100% funding!! Be sure to follow the film's progress at the above sources if you're interested!!

[jasminejarss]

The Unknown Country (2022) dir. Morrisa Maltz

[enchantedlyhooked]

Restorying

Okay... here me out....

The film PRACTICAL MAGIC but make it indigenous.

[sanguinarysanguinity]

I'd also recommend Sherman Alexie's The Business of Fancydancing (2002), about a gay Native man in Seattle, and his relationships to the white Seattle gay community and his friends and family on the Spokane rez back home.

reblogging again about Big Eden made me think about some of the native american/canadian queer cinema (Indigiqueer Cinema) I've enjoyed.

Found a handy dandy Letterboxd List called Queer Native Pride and Beyond that has a whole bunch of movies I haven't seen yet, and below some of the ones I've gotten to experience (three out of four are linked):

Big Eden: a story about a gay man who returns home, because his grandfather gets sick. A sweet, beautiful man (played by Eric Schweig) starts to secretly make him food to help out. it's an amazing slice-of-life/subtly utopian bit of film-making, in that nobody in the town is homophobic, but being gay/shame is still a big part of the exploration within it.

Wildhood: a movie I got to watch at a film festival (always good to go to your local queer film festivals, many surprises to be had) and it blew me away. a roadtrip movie about two brothers who escape their abusive father to reconnect with the elder's mother and Mi'kmaq heritage. letting go of the instilled shame of being indigenous goes hand in hand with letting go of the instilled shame of being queer

Fancy Dance: this movie isn't about being queer, it's about the ongoing murder of indigenous woman and girls, and it's also a beautiful road trip film between an aunt and her niece, the former of whom is sure her sister is dead but unwilling to face it and to destroy her niece's innocence. Lily Gladstone plays the lead, who's also a lesbian, which is just a choice that works really well for the movie even if it's not the focal point (available on Apple+ TV and however you access movies, but would recommend throwing this one some views if you have access to official streaming)

Honey Moccasin: a 1998 movie i watched at another film festival (this time online), it's anarchic, it's a comedy, it's a thriller, it's got musical beats, it weaves in the intricacies of exploring Native identity and Queer identity, it's a surreal story about a few things, one of which include focus on a "closeted drag queen." it's a movie that beats against conventional film-making to create something not beholden to tropes and clichés forced upon narratives about being Native

[artfilmfan]

Lakota Nation vs. United States (Jesse Short Bull & Laura Tomaselli, 2022)

[loversveil]

The Whaler Boy (Китобой) dir. Philipp Yuryev (2020)

[allweknewisdead]

The Exiles (1961) - Kent MacKenzie

I always wanted to go someplace where somebody will maybe make me feel different, be happier.

[strawb3rryqueer]

Omg this just sat in my drafts for months, I realized 😭 so ignore how late this is, but

Bringing this back as today is Indigenous People's Day!

Adding to last year, here are some amazing Indigenous films and TV series to consume:

Reservation Dogs

Prey (don't watch on Disney though!!)

Smoke Signals

Blood Quantum

Dark Winds

Wild Indian

Rutherford Falls

Montford: The Chickasaw Rancher

Mohawk Girls

Love and Fury

Rez Ball

Atanarjuat

Before Tomorrow

Reel Injun

And here is a way to see whose land you are on:

Native Land

Here is a way to search for your local powwows:

Powwow Calendar

Here are some of my favorite Indigenous music artists:

Bobby Sanchez

Frank Waln

Corporate Avenger

Drezus

JB the First Lady

Xiuhtezcatl

Sten Joddi

Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Cody Coyote

Indigenous People's Day

"Fuck Columbus"

Great, so true, but how else are you going to show up for Indigenous people today? Columbus has been dead for hundreds of years. While it's perfectly acceptable, and encouraged, to shit talk Columbus, that shouldn't be the only course of action that you take today if you consider yourself to be an Indigenous ally.

Do the work. Learn about some of the current issues affecting Native communities, and then identify Indigenous leadership who are leading actions against those issues. But don't stop there because the work doesn't end at learning. Being an ally is an active process. I'm tired of "allies" simply reblogging some posts and calling it a day.

How are you unlearning colonial thinking? When is the last time you consumed Indigenous media? There are so many amazing films, tv series, and songs produced by and starring Indigenous people. Find them and consume them. Indigenous media matters. How are you demanding justice for Indigenous people? When is the last time you attended a protest relating to Indigenous issues? If you have the ability and means to, get out on the streets. We need numbers to keep the movement going. If you can't physically attend a protest, there are plenty of other ways to help! Designing flyers, infographics, etc. Sending educational emails to keep those in the movement updated. Recruiting. Scheduling events. Securing venue locations. Getting permits. When is the last time you purchased from an Indigenous-owned business? How many Indigenous people do you follow/interact with on social media? Social media provides an incredibly easy way to engage with Indigenous culture and people. How are you raising awareness for the Indigenous people in your everyday life? How are you learning to center Indigenous people? How are you supporting Indigenous sovereignty?

If you're based on the American continents, have you learned the name of the Indigenous peoples whose land you're on? Have you considered paying taxes to that group/tribe (yes, that's something that some states/counties will allow!)? When is the last time that you've been to a powwow? I can't even say how many times I've had non-Indigenous people (primarily White people) tell me that they thought they had to be specifically invited to a powwow by a Native person, or that powwows are closed practices. Please attend your local powwows! Most are open to the public and it's a great place to (respectfully) learn about and directly engage with and support Indigenous culture and people.

I don't want to see anyone (aside from Indigenous people) saying "Happy Indigenous People's Day" or "Fuck Columbus" without doing the necessary work to truly support those statements.