NATIVE CINEMA
A Film Series
18 April · Searching for Sequoyah
16 May · Powwow Highway
23 May · Atanarjuat the Fast Runner
30 May · The Oka Legacy
Die Darstellung indigener Menschen Amerikas wurde seit den Anfängen der Filmindustrie wegen der Verwendung von Stereotypen kritisiert. Im Sommer 2022 ist die Diskussion um rassistische Darstellungen indigener Menschen und kulturelle Aneignung in Deutschland wieder aufgeflammt. In der Debatte wird viel über Karl May und nur wenig über indigene Filmemacher und Schauspieler gesprochen, die bereits seit Jahrzehnten Filme produzieren, die die Tiefe und Komplexität der indigenen Kultur darstellen. In dieser Filmreihe zeigen wir vier Beispiele.
The portrayal of American indigenous people has been criticized for the use of stereotypes since the early days of the film industry. In the summer of 2022, the discussion about racist portrayals of indigenous people and cultural appropriation flared up again in Germany. Much is said about Karl May and little about Indigenous filmmakers and actors who have produced films that portray the depth and complexity of Indigenous culture for decades. In this film series we show four examples.
18 April · 8 PM
Searching for Sequoyah
The cultural scientist and documentary filmmaker Joshua Nelson (Cherokee Nation) searches for Sequoyah, who invented the Cherokee syllabary in 1822 and thus triggered a wave of literacy in the Cherokee community. However, the rest of Sequoyah’s life, who is still revered as a folk hero today, remained obscure. Nelson follows his tracks to Mexico, where he disappeared in the 1840s on a Cherokee-equipped research expedition.
16 May · 8 PM
Powwow Highway
Powwow Highway skillfully combines elements of road movies and buddy movies with a critical look at the lives of indigenous communities in the United States during the 1970s. Friends Buddy and Philbert drive from the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana to Santa Fe to get Buddy's sister out of jail. Until the journey culminates in a classic police chase, the audience witnesses the economic exploitation of the reservations, corruption and violence within the communities, as well as the constant struggle for cultural and spiritual self-determination. Although the film was not produced by indigenous people, its cast has made indigenous actors famous; its often self-ironic and multi-layered storytelling has served as inspiration for generations of indigenous filmmakers to come.
23 May · 8 PM
Atanarjuat the Fast Runner
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001) tells the story of a legendary Inuit hero in the Arctic. Directed by Zacharias Kunuk and produced by Igloolik Isuma Productions, the film explores themes of tradition, revenge, and spirituality through a rich and immersive narrative. With stunning cinematography and an all-Inuit cast, the film has been widely acclaimed as a landmark in indigenous cinema and a powerful tribute to Inuit culture.
30 May · 8 PM
The Oka Legacy
The Oka Legacy (2015) is a documentary film that explores the events Oka Crisis of 1990, a 78-day standoff between the Mohawk Nation and the Canadian government. The conflict was sparked by the proposed expansion of a golf course and the destruction of a sacred burial ground, and quickly escalated into a nationwide protest for Indigenous sovereignty. The film, directed by Alanis Obomsawin, offers a powerful and intimate look at the events of the crisis, and its lasting impact on Indigenous communities and the broader Canadian society. Through interviews with participants, including Mohawk warriors, government officials, and local residents, The Oka Legacy provides a nuanced and thought-provoking examination of one of the defining moments in recent Canadian history.
This film series is an American Space Leipzig program and made possible through the generous support of the US Embassy in Berlin and American Department of State’s American Film Program.
