Sundance Institute Indigenous Film Tour at The Brattle

On Sunday, Oct. 13, The Brattle Theater showcased a series of films by Indigenous filmmakers from the Sundance Institute in celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The screening featured renowned artists from around the globe, including Sterling Harjo, the creator of the award-winning Netflix series “Reservation Dogs,” alongside emerging talents like Mariah Eli Hernandez-Fitch, whose film “Ekbeh” was part of her senior thesis at Dartmouth College. The Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Film Tour at The Brattle explored a diverse range of topics related to the Indigenous experience, evoking laughter and tears.

“Bay of Herons” / U.S.A. (Director: Jared James Lank)

In “Bay of Herons,” Jared James Lank, Mi’kmaq and Wabanki, reflects on the devastating impact colonization has had on his homelands. He skillfully intertwines his personal narrative with a modern retelling of Gluskap, a heroine from Wabanaki legends. By incorporating these ancestral stories, Lank weaves a powerful narrative that evokes a deep sense of hope, even as it acknowledges both past and ongoing grievances. The film’s cinematography enhances this emotional depth, using haunting, still images of shadowed woodlands, with dissonant, jarring music that mirrors the somber tone.

“Winding Path” / U.S.A. (Directors: Alexandra Lazarowich, Ross Kauffman, Producer: Robin Honan)

“Winding Path” tells the story of M.D./Ph.D. student Jenna Murray, Eastern Shoshone, an urban Native who finds healing by returning to the Wind River Indian Reservation, just as she did during childhood visits to her grandparents. The sudden death of her grandfather causes Jenna to reflect on the profound impact he had on both her connection to her Shoshone culture and inspiring her to pursue a career in medicine. Reflecting on her grandfather's teaching and reconnecting with her homelands, she is able to recover from her addiction and return to medical school. This inspirational story explores the indigenous diaspora, battling mental health problems and addiction, and the complex realities of health care in Indian Country.

“Headdress” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Taietsarón ‘Tai’ Leclaire, Producer: David Spadora)

In the short film “Headdress,” Taietsarón ‘Tai’ Leclaire, Mohawk Nation, presents a comedic exploration of the complexities of code-switching when confronted with a microaggression. After encountering a white woman wearing a headdress, Tai takes us inside the workings of his mind, where we meet his various identities: Boujee, Queer, Traditional, Future Self, Professional, and his oldest identity, Goth. As these personas argue over how to respond, in a brilliant display of acting of all five characters by Tai, the film highlights how code-switching can lead to missed opportunities to honor all aspects of one's identity in the effort to conform to Western social norms. “Headdress” will have you laughing while prompting you to challenge the code-switching you may be practicing in your own life.

“Ekbeh” / U.S.A. (Director: Mariah Eli Hernandez-Fitch)

“Ekbeh” directed by Mariah Eli Hernandez-Fitch, Houma Tribe, began as a senior thesis project at Dartmouth College and has now gotten its own seat at Sundance Film Festival. Hernandez-Fitch offers a glimpse into an often overlooked part of American history — the rich culture of the Indigenous Houma people in Louisiana. Through her grandparents’ Baton Rouge accents and their gumbo-making skills, the film highlights the deep influence of both Black and French culture on the Houma community. Ekbeh depicts the resilience of Indigenous people, seeing how their culture has adapted and evolved in response to historical challenges while maintaining its core identity and traditions.

“Baigal Nuur” – Lake Baikal / Canada, Germany (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Alisi Telengut)

What does it mean when a language becomes endangered, how can a culture preserve its stories when its language is nearly erased, and is it possible to revitalize a language when no fluent speakers remain? “Baigal Nuur – Lake Baikal,” directed and written by Alisi Telengut, explores these questions through a stunning animated retelling of the lake’s formation, narrated by a Buryat woman who can recall only a few words of her native language. The story of Lake Baikal’s formation and the fragmented words of an endangered Indigenous language parallel one another, powerfully evoking both loss and hope for cultural revitalization. Through this poetic interplay, the film suggests that even in fragments, a language can hold the seeds of renewal.

“Hawaiki” / New Zealand (Director and Screenwriter: Nova Paul, Producer: Tara Riddell)

“Hawaiki,” directed and written by Māori creator Nova Paul and produced by Tara Riddell, presents a hopeful and empowering vision for the next generation. The film follows a group of young Māori children as they embrace and carry forward their ancestral teachings, working together in ways that transcend both gender and age. “Hawaiki” is a beautiful celebration of the resilience of Māori culture that also highlights the agency of children.

“Sunflower Siege Engine” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Sky Hopinka)

“Sunflower Siege Engine,” directed and produced by Sky Hopinka, Ho-Chunk Nation and an assistant professor in the Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies masterfully intertwines various narratives of Indigenous resistance throughout the 21st century. The film's cinematography is striking, with a deep focus on the interplay between the human body and the natural landscape, creating a powerful visual that mirrors the resilience and strength of its subject.

“Goodnight Irene” / U.S.A. (Director: Sterlin Harjo)

Sterlin Harjo, Seminole Nation, delivers yet another powerful narrative in “Goodnight Irene,” a poignant and deeply moving story about cultural memory and intergenerational connection. At the heart of the film is an elderly woman who profoundly impacts the lives of two young men while in the waiting room of the local Indian Clinic, guiding them back to their cultural roots and reminding them of the significance of their heritage. Harjo’s storytelling, infused with warmth and authenticity, offers a reflection on the importance of community, continuity, and the role each generation plays in preserving their history.