In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, here are a few of our favorite films that honor the cultures and histories of Native American people. To go a little deeper into the content, view our previously recorded Q&As with filmmakers, film subjects, and local luminaries.
Gather
Directed by Sanjay Rawal | 2020
Gather follows the stories of Native Americans on the frontlines of a growing movement to reconnect with spiritual and cultural identities that were devastated by genocide.
The film is currently available to watch through Amazon Prime, iTunes, and Vimeo.
Trailer
Q&A
The Road Forward
Directed by Marie Clements | 2017
The Road Forward is an electrifying musical documentary that connects a pivotal moment in Canada’s civil rights history—the beginnings of Indian Nationalism in the 1930s—with the powerful momentum of First Nations activism today.
The film is currently available to watch via iTunes.
Trailer
Q&A
The Ground Between Us
Directed by Galen Knowles and Zeppelin Zeerip | 2020
Since 2017, public lands throughout America have faced unprecedented threats.
Throughout this, Americans from both sides of the political spectrum have stood up and made their voices heard in support of protecting these areas. The Ground Between Us presents these public lands debates alongside the day-to-day realities of three families who hold vastly different connections and perspectives on public lands. In a divided America, The Ground Between Us shows that public lands can be a uniting factor.
The film is available to order directly from the filmmakers. See details >
Trailer
Q&A
Public Trust
Directed by David Byars | 2020
Despite support from voters across the political spectrum, our public lands face unprecedented threats from extractive industries and the politicians in their pockets. Part love letter, part political exposé, Public Trust investigates how we arrived at this precarious moment through three heated conflicts—a national monument in the Utah desert, a mine in the Boundary Waters, and oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—and makes a case for their continued protection.
Trailer
Q&A
Scenes from the Glittering World
Directed by Jared Jakins | 2021
In the furthest reaches of the Navajo Nation, at the most remote high school in the continental U.S., three Indigenous students maneuver through the vagaries of adolescence in hopes of realizing their dreams, all while balancing the responsibilities of family, the realities of attending a remarkably small school with shrinking resources, and the stunning yet relentless isolation of the surrounding landscape.
The film will be available via streaming services at a later date.
Q&A
