22 Essential Works of Indigenous Cinema

As a film enthusiast with a special affinity for stories that resonate deeply and offer unique perspectives, I find the collection of movies you’ve presented to be an absolute treasure trove. Each one tells a story that not only entertains but also educates, shedding light on the rich and diverse experiences of indigenous communities across North America.

As a fan who appreciates the rich tapestry of stories woven by Indigenous cultures over millennia, it’s disheartening to see how Hollywood has historically overlooked these narratives. For centuries, Indigenous voices have been silenced on the big screen, with Native Americans often relegated to stereotypical, limited roles, mostly portrayed in stories about the 19th century frontier expansion. However, a turning point came in 1998 with the release of “Smoke Signals,” the first feature film written, directed, co-produced, and acted by Native Americans, which sparked a wave of new indigenous filmmakers to bring contemporary stories from their communities to life on screen. Fast forward nearly 25 years, and more Indigenous storytellers than ever before are being given the opportunity to create television shows and movies, finally bringing a long-overdue diversity and authenticity to our screens.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve noticed the remarkable flourishing of indigenous films we’re witnessing today. This renaissance is rooted in activism, with events such as the Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline (2016-2017) and the surge to create more media reflective of the rich tapestry of American life following George Floyd’s tragic death in 2020. This golden age has been further fortified by the acclaim garnered by shows like “Reservation Dogs” and “Rutherford Falls”, which offer a humorous yet authentic portrayal of modern Native American life, premiering in 2021.

TIME consulted indigenous filmmakers and movie experts globally for significant films shedding light on indigenous experiences. This collection encompasses various genres such as suspenseful dramas, factual documentaries, chilling horror films, and heartwarming romantic tales.

Sterlin Harjo, a Seminole and Muscogee filmmaker responsible for the Emmy-nominated series “Reservation Dogs”, shares his excitement about the growing number of films being produced: “There are so many voices being heard these days,” he says. “I’ve come across some short films that will leave people speechless. It’s wonderful to see that we now have the liberty to express ourselves and share our unique stories.

The Exiles (1961)

Director: Kent Mackenzie

50 years ago, the federal government initiated the Urban Relocation Program to encourage Native Americans to migrate from reservations into bustling cities like Los Angeles. However, this program did not provide the necessary means for Native Americans to successfully transition to such a vastly different environment.

Where to watch: Criterion, Amazon Prime

Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993)

Director: Alanis Obomsawin

In 1990, a tense standoff occurred between the Canadian military and indigenous demonstrators over the proposed construction of a golf course on Mohawk territory in Oka, Quebec. Filmmakers ventured past the barricades to portray the individuals advocating for indigenous rights, the Quebec police, and the Canadian armed forces. Ultimately, the Canadian government seized the land to halt further private development. This event prompted a 1991 government commission aimed at strengthening ties with indigenous communities. As Karrmen Crey, Stó:lō, Cheam First Nation, an associate professor in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University, states, “It compelled Canada to begin addressing indigenous issues seriously.” In 1993 at the Toronto International Film Festival, Kanehsatake made history as the first documentary to win the prize for best Canadian feature.

Where to watch: National Film Board of Canada’s website

Smoke Signals (1998)

Director: Chris Eyre

The groundbreaking film “Smoke Signals,” penned, helmed, co-produced, and starring Native Americans, marks a historical national theater release. With a sobering plotline, it follows two men from an Idaho Coeur d’Alene reservation on a road trip to Phoenix to gather the remains of a deceased mentor. However, this poignant tale is interspersed with numerous humorous moments. Featuring modern Native Americans engaging in basketball and casually dressed in denim and t-shirts, “Smoke Signals” offers an entertaining perspective on contemporary Native American life. According to Jacob Floyd (Muscogee [Creek]/Cherokee), assistant professor at the Martin Scorsese Department of Cinema Studies at New York University, humor in Native representation is a crucial step forward.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Fandango, Google Play

Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001)

Director: Zacharias Kunuk

The movie is produced in Inuktitut dialect, with the entire cast hailing from Igloolik, Nunavut – an Inuit community located in the Canadian Arctic. The narrative revolves around a complex polygamous love triangle. The protagonist, Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaaq), often referred to as Fast Runner, marries Atuat (Sylvia Ivalu) and also takes another wife, Puja (Lucy Tulugarjuk). However, tensions arise when Puja is discovered in an intimate moment with Atanarjuat’s brother, Amaqjuaq (Pakak Innuksuk). This movie garnered the 2001 Caméra D’Or award for best debut feature at the Cannes Film Festival, demonstrating that films in indigenous languages can indeed resonate widely. As Joanna Hearne, an expert on indigenous cinema and a professor at the University of Oklahoma, puts it, “It placed indigenous filmmaking firmly on the map.

Where to watch: Apple TV+

Four Sheets to the Wind (2007)

Director: Sterlin Harjo

Harjo’s first movie brings attention to the alarmingly high suicide rates on Native American reservations. The narrative commences with Cufe (Cody Lightning) grieving over his father, as a companion recollects how his father avoided a tornado by dancing and singing in his yard—and the tornado never materialized. Eager for change, Cufe departs from the reservation to settle in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where his sister Miri (Tamara Podemski) resides. Eventually, he develops a rapport with her neighbor Francie (Laura Bailey), and romantic sparks ignite between them.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Sling, Tubi

Older Than America (2008)

Director: Georgina Lightning

From 1819 until 1969, approximately thousands of indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in over 400 government-supported, religiously managed boarding schools. These students suffered physical abuse and were barred from using their native languages. The drama, set around the Fond du Lac reservation in Minnesota, explores the long-term impacts of these abusive boarding schools on a single Native American family. Bradley Cooper portrays a geologist who assists indigenous people in preserving their heritage.

Where to watch: AMC+

Reel Injun (2009)

Director: Neil Diamond, Catherine Bainbridge, Jeremiah Hayes

The documentary offers a comprehensive examination of the portrayal of Native Americans in 20th century Hollywood productions, revealing how these films spread harmful stereotypes about Native American communities. The directors embark on a journey to locations of importance to various Native American tribes, capturing a poignant moment where the camera records Crow Agency schoolchildren viewing brutal Indian massacre scenes from Little Big Man. The filmmaker engages Clint Eastwood in discussions about the progression of Native Americans in Westerns and also speaks with numerous indigenous activists, filmmakers, and Navajo elders who have worked as extras.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Tubi

Samson & Delilah (2009)

Director: Warwick Thornton

In a remarkable fashion, the film “Samson & Delilah” showcases a heartfelt love story primarily through actions rather than words. The characters Samson and Delilah are teenagers hailing from an indigenous community in the Central Australian outback, seeking to establish a fresh start in a bustling city. Struggling with solvent abuse, Samson is the protagonist, while Delilah endeavors to sell her artwork to make ends meet. To director Wayne Blair, this film portrays “the profound power of love in an incredibly challenging setting,” and it highlights how indigenous individuals, battling adversities such as addiction and homelessness, manage to preserve their affection and inherent grace.

Where to watch: IndiePix Unlimited

Boy (2010)

Director: Taika Waititi

In a small Maori village in New Zealand, this heartwarming tale unfolds around a young boy, known only as “Boy” (James Rolleston), who shares an extraordinary love for Michael Jackson. His estranged father, Alamein (Taika Waititi), unexpectedly returns to their home after many years. While Alamein’s primary goal is to locate a hidden cache of money, the story revolves around their reunion and the slow process of reconnecting as they get to know each other once more.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Fandango

Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013)

Director: Jeff Barnaby

This narrative draws inspiration from real-life accounts of children forcibly taken from their communities and made to attend North American boarding schools. It centers around a Native American teenager who is violently taken from her reservation and sent to a harsh Canadian boarding school. Her parents, who struggle with substance abuse due to their harrowing experiences at the same institution, had paid off an intermediary in the hopes of saving their child, but unfortunately, the money was swindled.

Where to watch: Fandango, Fandor, Google Play, Tubi

Drunktown’s Finest (2014)

Director: Sydney Freeland

The movie’s title pays tribute to an ABC 20/20 episode that labeled Gallup, New Mexico, as “Drunktown USA” due to its severe alcohol problem. This story unfolds within the Navajo reservation, centering around three characters whose paths unexpectedly cross. Jeremiah Bitsui portrays a man named “Sick Boy,” struggling with his alcohol addiction and risking his military career. Moringstar Angeline plays Nizhoni, a young woman raised by white parents who is eager to discover her roots and culture. Lastly, Carmen Moore embodies Felixia, a transgender woman who works as a prostitute and aspires to model for a calendar. This film stands out as it’s directed by an openly transgender indigenous director and boasts an openly queer main character from the indigenous community.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Fandango, Google Play, YouTube

Mekko (2015)

Director: Sterlin Harjo

In this story, I find myself eking out an existence on the rough streets of Tulsa, Oklahoma, following a prison stint for a tragic incident involving my cousin in a heated bar altercation fueled by alcohol. The tribal leaders of the Creek nation reject me for the act, leaving me to forge friendships with a band of homeless individuals who refer to themselves as “street chiefs.” Tragedy strikes again when one of these street chiefs takes another life, and I am plagued by ghostly images of my own demise. The film follows my struggle to endure.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Roku, Tubi

Sami Blood (2016)

Director: Amanda Kernell

The film is inspired by Scandinavia’s indigenous Sami people and examines the discrimination that they endured in the 1930s. The film opens with an elderly woman Christina (Maj-Doris Rimpi) who travels from the city to her hometown of Lapland to attend her sister’s funeral and disparages the Sami culture the whole time. In fact, she grew up in a Sami household, and the film flashes back to her fourteen-year-old self, born Elle-Marja (Lene Cecilia Sparrok), who grew up herding reindeer. The film tracks Elle-Marja’s attempts to run away from an abusive boarding school for Sami children, where scientists measure their heads and take photos of the children naked.

Where to watch: Apple TV+, Google Play, Peacock, Viaplay, YouTube

Blood Quantum (2019)

Director: Jeff Barnaby

In this chilling horror movie, characters who are of Native American descent demonstrate greater resilience against a zombie outbreak compared to non-indigenous individuals. Floyd notes that “Blood Quantum” wasn’t the pioneer in Indigenous horror or even the first zombie film, but it was the groundbreaking production that garnered recognition for the genre of Indigenous horror.

Where to watch: AMC+

N. Scott Momaday: Words from a Bear (2019)

Director: Jeffrey Palmer

The documentary is a biography of one of the most influential Native American writers of all time, N. Scott Momaday—the first Native American winner of the Pulitzer Prize 1969 for his novel House Made of Dawn. That was the same year that Native American protesters took over Alcatraz Island, so the Native American rights movement was especially visible at that time. The director Palmer, like Momaday, is a member of the Kiowa tribe, and the film profiles how his childhood on several reservations in New Mexico shaped his writing. As Floyd describes Momaday’s significance, “he made non-native people aware of what Native writers were doing [and]…indigenous people in general.”

Where to watch: Apple TV+, PBS

The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (2019)

Directors: Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn

As a movie-loving individual immersed in the urban landscape of Vancouver, I find myself one day seated on a bus, encountering a fellow indigenous woman named Rosie (Violet Nelson). She’s heavily pregnant and, unfortunately, running away from an abusive partner. Despite not being prepared for motherhood at this moment – I was recently getting fitted for an IUD to manage my family planning – I feel a strong connection with her. In a heartbeat, I decide to help Rosie find safety and guide her towards a refuge. Our backgrounds may differ, but our shared indigenous roots create an immediate bond between us.

Where to watch: Kanopy

Beans (2020)

Director: Tracey Deer

In my perspective, this film is a powerful portrayal of the director’s personal journey growing up amidst the 78-day standoff in Oka, Quebec, during 1990, when a golf course construction conflicted with sacred lands for the Mohawk community. This compelling tale centers around me, a middle schooler known as Beans (Tekehentahkhwa), who bravely navigates through this chaotic time by applying to attend a predominantly white private school. I face challenges from not only immature fellow Mohawk children hurling insults but also from hostile white mobs launching rocks while my mother and I stand firm behind the barricades, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity.

Where to watch: Hulu

Malni: Towards the Ocean, Towards the Shore (2020)

Director: Sky Hopinka

In this documentary, we delve into the Native American life in the Pacific Northwest, focusing on the Chinook jargon language. As Adam Piron, head of The Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program, discusses the importance of the film, he notes that many productions from indigenous filmmakers are aimed at mainstream audiences. However, Sky’s films are primarily intended for Native viewers, offering a chance to tell stories without the need to respond or react to Western narratives.

Where to watch: Kanopy

Night Raiders (2021)

Director: Danis Goulet

A prime example of a sci-fi indigenous film, told in both the Cree language and English. The plotline of a mother trying to rescue her daughter from a government-run, militaristic institution “has many allusions to the historical boarding school experience,” says Renae Watchman (Diné and Tsalagi), a scholar of indigenous film and literature at McMaster University.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Fandango, Google Play, Hulu, Netflix, Pluto TV, Tubi

Frybread Face and Me (2023)

Director: Billy Luther

In this delightful summer tale, they transfer young Benny (Keir Tallman), raised in San Diego, to reside with his grandmother on a Navajo reservation. His cousin, affectionately known as Frybread Face (Charley Hogan), guides him through the area and serves as an interpreter for the grandmother who communicates only in her native language. During this time, Benny learns rapidly about rug-making, livestock tending, bull riding, and even driving, all while gaining valuable life experiences.

Where to watch: Netflix

Fancy Dance (2023)

Director: Erica Tremblay

In the story of “Fancy Dance,” Lily Gladstone (from “Killers of the Flower Moon”) assumes guardianship for her niece Roki following her sister’s mysterious disappearance. She juggles raising her niece on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma while simultaneously scouring the backcountry for any clues about her missing sibling. As Jeffrey Palmer, an associate professor of performing and media arts at Cornell University (Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma), points out, many people vanish without a trace, often overlooked by the public. “Fancy Dance” skillfully addresses this issue in a thoughtful manner.

Where to watch: Apple TV+

Rez Ball (2024)

Director: Sydney Freeland

Portrayed as a Native American counterpart to Friday Night Lights, the movie Rez Ball illuminates the significant role basketball plays within reservations. The filmmakers went the extra mile in casting actors who are skilled in basketball. The narrative revolves around the team members of the Chuska Warriors from Chuska, NM, as they strive to triumph over their individual hardships in order to secure the state championship title.

Where to watch: Netflix

2024-11-11 18:07