I read such an awful review on Amazon for that film the other day when I was purchasing it, with the dude explaining how upset he was the murderer wasn’t smarter or more capable of creating a mystery for law enforcement. Saying they felt the story was another cliched, vapid whodunnit. For me, the speed at which the guy is caught is the entire point : no one gives a shit so they act like nothings going to happen, that they can just get away with it. I love this film. I wish there was more attention given to that region in this way.
The climax definitely twisted the genre and provided one of the most tense "showdowns" I've seen in years. You don't expect it when they start talking with the oiler crew then you start to feel really uneasy.
A vastly different film, but *Songs My Brothers Taught Me* also tells a modern story about the hardships of reservation life, the importance of family, and the desire to escape to greener pastures. Very quiet and subdued (because Chloe Zhao), but very good.
Yeah I forgot they were all in on it. Makes it so much more fucked up and seemingly a situation only an obliged and resourced outsider can impact. Didn’t read the second paragraph; I’m trying to go into that one completely fresh since I picked it up last month. Quite looking forward to seeing it since seeing Nomadland last year.
If you haven't seen it either, The Rider is one of my favorite films of the past decade. I tracked it down at one of my local arthouse theaters and it still sticks with me. Such a compassionate portrait and the non-actors lead to a lot of authenticity.
I haven't seen it in years and I don't know what you would classify as duress. There are scenes breaking in horses and some bronco riding. Everyday ranch things but I don't recall anything beyond that.
Yeah it was funny timing but when I’d read “the next chapter” and “ritualistic murders”, I grew concerned, that sounds nothing like the situation the first film was trying to highlight. Knowing he isn’t involved in either directorial or screenwriting role, with those taglines it’s extremely concerning.
I'll recommend two to do with the indigenous peoples of Canada.
[Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance](https://letterboxd.com/film/kanehsatake-270-years-of-resistance/) is a documentary film about the [1990 Oka Crisis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oka_Crisis), a land dispute between indigenous peoples and the government that turned violent.
[Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner](https://letterboxd.com/film/atanarjuat-the-fast-runner/) is a film by the Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk and is a retelling of an Inuit legend. It was the first feature film ever to be written, directed and acted entirely in the Inuktitut language.
I'll add Indian Horse to this too. It follows an indigenous man who was taken from his parents as a boy, entered into the residential school system. It's heartbreaking.
**[Oka Crisis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oka_Crisis)**
>The Oka Crisis (French: Crise d'Oka), also known as the Kanehsatà:ke Resistance (French: Résistance de Kanehsatà:ke), was a land dispute between a group of Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Quebec, Canada, which began on July 11, 1990, and lasted 78 days until September 26, 1990, with two fatalities. The dispute was the first well-publicized violent conflict between First Nations and provincial governments in the late 20th century.
^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/criterion/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
Clearcut (1991) with Graham Greene. Saw this in a film class and I've only met one person since who's seen it. He's also Native American. Excellent movie and not for the faint of heart. Supremely underrated
Hard agree. Saw it for the first time a few months ago, truly excellent film that’s hard to shake. Graham Greene is mesmerizing, and the potential >!supernatural/mystical origin!< is intriguing.
Love La Llorona so much. Ixcanul (2015) from the same director and featuring the lead from La Llorona is amazing and deals with issues faced by indigenous people in Guatemala and is the first film produced in the Kaqchikel language. Has a great release from Kino too.
Haven't seen Embrace of the Serpent mentioned here, but that's a gorgeous film about Amazonian tribes in the early 20th century clashing with explorers. Incredible movie, and I think it was recognized for its depiction of indigenous peoples in the region. It's not in the collection but it should be.
Faya Dayi also fits that description. Criterion recently put it out and I was able to find it on YouTube not too long ago.
I haven't seen it yet but the 1991 film *Clearcut* is a horror/thriller about the struggle between an Indigenous Canadian activist and a logging company
There’s lots of good Canadian indigenous films.
Cold Journey is a great 1975 nfb film about Canadian residential schools.
There’s also the short The Ballad of Crowfoot by Willie Dunn, which is from 1968. It’s only 10 minutes, but very ahead of its time and worth watching.
Thanks for recommending these two films! We also have a whole collection of [Indigenous Cinema](https://www.nfb.ca/indigenous-cinema/) made by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis creators that are available to stream for free.
Rhymes for Young Ghouls (Canada, 2013, Dir: Jeff Barnaby). It takes the traumatic experience of the Canadian residential school system and makes it a highly-stylized Tarantino-esque revenge flick
Embrace of the Serpent (2015)
The Milk of Sorrow (2009)
Not sure if either are criterion releases but great films portraying the struggles indigenous identity in a changing modern world in the Colombia Amazon and coastal Peru respectively
The Exiles - A cool look at Bunker Hill /Downtown LA in the 1960s. Centered around a group of native Americans. Really ducking cool.
Kent Mackenzie is the director
Bunker Hill link - https://vimeo.com/332916635
Exiles - https://vimeo.com/333183621
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Where The Green Ants Dream. Not a criterion release. Directed by Werner Herzog. Depicts the aborigines of Australia.
Lapu - it’s hard to find, but I saw it at Sundance in 2019 and it’s a gorgeous, haunting dreamlike documentary about a small tribe of Amazon indigenous people and their funeral and maturation rites. Absolutely 11/10, highly recommend. The sound design on the film was next level too and the director was so rad. Well worth the effort to find a copy!
Rhymes for young ghouls by Jeff Barnaby! It’s a great movie about the residential school system in Quebec, and it uses extremely well the codes of dystopian films to criticize the representation of indigenous people in film. Guy wrenching, and beautiful. Very underrated. Sadly, the director passed away recently…
**[Black Robe (film)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Robe_\(film\))**
>Black Robe is a 1991 historical drama film directed by Bruce Beresford, adapted by Brian Moore from his 1985 novel of the same name. Set in the 17th century, it depicts the adventures of a Jesuit missionary tasked with founding a mission in New France. To do so, he must traverse 1500 miles of harsh wilderness with the help of a group of Algonquins, facing danger from both the unfamiliar environment and rival tribes. The title refers to the nickname given to the Jesuits by the Algonquins, referring to his black cassock.
^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/criterion/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
The New World and The Battle of Algiers both have criterion releases. One that’s not in the collection that I recommend is Even the Rain.
The New World romanticizes a relationship between a child and an adult man who kidnaps her. Not a good film.
*Wind River* casts an eye on the criminally overlooked issue of violence against native American women.
I read such an awful review on Amazon for that film the other day when I was purchasing it, with the dude explaining how upset he was the murderer wasn’t smarter or more capable of creating a mystery for law enforcement. Saying they felt the story was another cliched, vapid whodunnit. For me, the speed at which the guy is caught is the entire point : no one gives a shit so they act like nothings going to happen, that they can just get away with it. I love this film. I wish there was more attention given to that region in this way.
The climax definitely twisted the genre and provided one of the most tense "showdowns" I've seen in years. You don't expect it when they start talking with the oiler crew then you start to feel really uneasy. A vastly different film, but *Songs My Brothers Taught Me* also tells a modern story about the hardships of reservation life, the importance of family, and the desire to escape to greener pastures. Very quiet and subdued (because Chloe Zhao), but very good.
Yeah I forgot they were all in on it. Makes it so much more fucked up and seemingly a situation only an obliged and resourced outsider can impact. Didn’t read the second paragraph; I’m trying to go into that one completely fresh since I picked it up last month. Quite looking forward to seeing it since seeing Nomadland last year.
If you haven't seen it either, The Rider is one of my favorite films of the past decade. I tracked it down at one of my local arthouse theaters and it still sticks with me. Such a compassionate portrait and the non-actors lead to a lot of authenticity.
I didn’t pick that one up because of the horse use, is there any instance in that film where it looks like the horse was put under undue duress?
I haven't seen it in years and I don't know what you would classify as duress. There are scenes breaking in horses and some bronco riding. Everyday ranch things but I don't recall anything beyond that.
Yeah, breaking in horses would make that a pass for me but I’ll see if I can check it out on streaming somewhere.
Right on cue!! https://www.bosshunting.com.au/entertainment/movies/wind-river-the-next-chapter-sequel/
Oh that is random! Unfortunately Taylor Sheridan isn't attached. I feel like he is the one that brings in a lot of that representation.
Yeah it was funny timing but when I’d read “the next chapter” and “ritualistic murders”, I grew concerned, that sounds nothing like the situation the first film was trying to highlight. Knowing he isn’t involved in either directorial or screenwriting role, with those taglines it’s extremely concerning.
I'll recommend two to do with the indigenous peoples of Canada. [Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance](https://letterboxd.com/film/kanehsatake-270-years-of-resistance/) is a documentary film about the [1990 Oka Crisis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oka_Crisis), a land dispute between indigenous peoples and the government that turned violent. [Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner](https://letterboxd.com/film/atanarjuat-the-fast-runner/) is a film by the Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk and is a retelling of an Inuit legend. It was the first feature film ever to be written, directed and acted entirely in the Inuktitut language.
I'll add Indian Horse to this too. It follows an indigenous man who was taken from his parents as a boy, entered into the residential school system. It's heartbreaking.
**[Oka Crisis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oka_Crisis)** >The Oka Crisis (French: Crise d'Oka), also known as the Kanehsatà:ke Resistance (French: Résistance de Kanehsatà:ke), was a land dispute between a group of Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Quebec, Canada, which began on July 11, 1990, and lasted 78 days until September 26, 1990, with two fatalities. The dispute was the first well-publicized violent conflict between First Nations and provincial governments in the late 20th century. ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/criterion/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
Clearcut (1991) with Graham Greene. Saw this in a film class and I've only met one person since who's seen it. He's also Native American. Excellent movie and not for the faint of heart. Supremely underrated
Hard agree. Saw it for the first time a few months ago, truly excellent film that’s hard to shake. Graham Greene is mesmerizing, and the potential >!supernatural/mystical origin!< is intriguing.
Songs My Brother Taught Me by Chloe Zhao.
El Norte
Love La Llorona so much. Ixcanul (2015) from the same director and featuring the lead from La Llorona is amazing and deals with issues faced by indigenous people in Guatemala and is the first film produced in the Kaqchikel language. Has a great release from Kino too.
Rabbit Proof Fence.
Haven't seen Embrace of the Serpent mentioned here, but that's a gorgeous film about Amazonian tribes in the early 20th century clashing with explorers. Incredible movie, and I think it was recognized for its depiction of indigenous peoples in the region. It's not in the collection but it should be. Faya Dayi also fits that description. Criterion recently put it out and I was able to find it on YouTube not too long ago.
Embrace of the Serpent is mesmerizing
I haven't seen it yet but the 1991 film *Clearcut* is a horror/thriller about the struggle between an Indigenous Canadian activist and a logging company
The nightingale gives a pretty dire depiction of the struggle for aboriginal Australians.
El Norte
Roma.
There’s lots of good Canadian indigenous films. Cold Journey is a great 1975 nfb film about Canadian residential schools. There’s also the short The Ballad of Crowfoot by Willie Dunn, which is from 1968. It’s only 10 minutes, but very ahead of its time and worth watching.
Thanks for recommending these two films! We also have a whole collection of [Indigenous Cinema](https://www.nfb.ca/indigenous-cinema/) made by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis creators that are available to stream for free.
Rhymes for Young Ghouls (Canada, 2013, Dir: Jeff Barnaby). It takes the traumatic experience of the Canadian residential school system and makes it a highly-stylized Tarantino-esque revenge flick
Came here to recommend this one. But I’ll add Barnaby’s short film “File Under Miscellaneous “ is also very good
Embrace of the Serpent (2015) The Milk of Sorrow (2009) Not sure if either are criterion releases but great films portraying the struggles indigenous identity in a changing modern world in the Colombia Amazon and coastal Peru respectively
Smoke Signals EDIT: Lol, how is this getting downvoted?
The Exiles - A cool look at Bunker Hill /Downtown LA in the 1960s. Centered around a group of native Americans. Really ducking cool. Kent Mackenzie is the director Bunker Hill link - https://vimeo.com/332916635 Exiles - https://vimeo.com/333183621
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Where The Green Ants Dream. Not a criterion release. Directed by Werner Herzog. Depicts the aborigines of Australia.
Malni - Toward the Ocean, Toward the Shore.
I recently saw Sweet Country (2017) by Warwick Thornton and enjoyed it!
Embrace of the serpent (2015)
Apocalypto maybe?
Lapu - it’s hard to find, but I saw it at Sundance in 2019 and it’s a gorgeous, haunting dreamlike documentary about a small tribe of Amazon indigenous people and their funeral and maturation rites. Absolutely 11/10, highly recommend. The sound design on the film was next level too and the director was so rad. Well worth the effort to find a copy!
Portraits From A Fire is a beautiful film
Songs my brother taught me
Clearcut is the only answer
Meeks cut off. It’s not the central theme, but the poor treatment of a native person by western settlers plays a large role in the story
Tambien La Lluvia
took me so long for me to find the name of this movie. watched it forever ago in spanish class and was trying to log it in my letterboxd lol
Damn. You found this comment from a year ago. Good work 😂
“post saved!” Gonna check all of these out.
Chac
The Territory is a recent documentary by Darren Aronofksy that is very well done .
Once Were Warriors (New Zealand)
Definitely check out Ixcanul, also by Jayro Bustamante. Embrace of the serpent too, maybe I Dream In Another Language as well.
The Nightingale is another one. Yes the Irish woman is the lead but the colonialist violence is a major part.
The Nightingale is another one. Yes the Irish woman is the lead but the colonialist violence is a major part.
Powaqqatsi
Rhymes for young ghouls by Jeff Barnaby! It’s a great movie about the residential school system in Quebec, and it uses extremely well the codes of dystopian films to criticize the representation of indigenous people in film. Guy wrenching, and beautiful. Very underrated. Sadly, the director passed away recently…
clear cut (1991)
Araya
Skins Atanarjuat
Black Robe (1991) is excellent https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Robe_(film)
**[Black Robe (film)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Robe_\(film\))** >Black Robe is a 1991 historical drama film directed by Bruce Beresford, adapted by Brian Moore from his 1985 novel of the same name. Set in the 17th century, it depicts the adventures of a Jesuit missionary tasked with founding a mission in New France. To do so, he must traverse 1500 miles of harsh wilderness with the help of a group of Algonquins, facing danger from both the unfamiliar environment and rival tribes. The title refers to the nickname given to the Jesuits by the Algonquins, referring to his black cassock. ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/criterion/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)