Argonaut Online A&E

TUES, 11 MAR 2003

Films show American Indian view on culture

By Chris Martin
Argonaut Staff

A unique film series from former UI students aims to show a different side of American Indians.

“We don’t often get a chance to hear American Indians’ stories � We don’t know much about how they see themselves or would want to be seen,” said Janis Johnson, professor of English and American Indian Studies.

“If you grow up looking at Indians through film, you get a completely distorted view of them. This is a great opportunity to let us watch and hear Indians present their lives through film.”

The First Annual American Indian Film Series begins March 11 and runs through the 14 at the Kenworthy Theater. The event is sponsored by UI. The series honors the memory of Wil Hendrick, UI Nez Perce theater arts student.

“Grand Avenue” shows Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. as part of opening ceremonies, led by Nez Perce Elder H0race Axtell. “Skins” plays Wednesday, “The Business of Fancydancing” plays Thursday, and “Naturally Native” plays Friday at 7 p.m. Janis Johnson, professor of English and American Indian Studies at UI, is the foremost influence for bringing the film series to campus. She organized the event, and will be welcoming discussion and introducing speakers at the film series.

“Janis approached the Idaho Humanities Council, of which I’m a member, and other organizations for support,” said Raul Sanchez, special assistant to the president for diversity and human rights. “We collaborate with people who have good ideas and let them run with them.”

“They’ve been thinking about having a film series and so I proposed the idea,” Johnson said. “This series intended to educate and enlighten us and improve human rights and also gives us a chance to honor a Nez Perce UI student.”

The films all celebrate heritage, story and achievement of American Indians and are intended to reveal a side that many non-Indians know about.

“The purpose [of the series] is to give a broad audience to see and hear Indians telling their own stories,” Johnson said. “It is about Indians overcoming visual genocide and re-imagining and re-visualizing what it means to be Indian.”

Discussion after each film will include viewer interpretation, critique and general thought on each film and the messages and depictions within.

“It promotes thinking,” Sanchez said. “Thinking is not limited to minority issues or minority groups. It’s not important just because it’s about American Indians. Anything that promotes thinking among us is part of the broader academic mission.”

The Films

The mini-series “Grand Avenue,” produced by Robert Redford, shows the contemporary life of one American Indian family and the difficulties within. “Skins,” a film by Chris Eyre and based on the book by Adrian C. Louis, is an inspirational tale about the relationship between two Sioux Indian brothers living on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation.

Sherman Alexie’s “The Business of Fancydancing,” based on a book of poems of same name, centers around the emotional struggle of Seymour Polatkin, a successful, gay poet from Spokane who confronts his past when he returns to his childhood home on the reservation to attend the funeral of a dear friend.

“Naturally Native,” the last of the series, follows three Native American sisters as they open a line of cosmetics they call Naturally Native, in the process fighting an uphill battle of racial discrimination.

Set to honor Wil Hendrick, whose murder in 1999 still remains unsolved, the American Indian Film Series aims to be provocative, thoughtful and inspirational.

One hopes it will promote equality and tolerance in Moscow, Sanchez said.

This may be the first, but most certainly not the last American Indian Film Series.

“I’m going to continue to write grants and will try to make this an annual event,” Johnson said. “We hope to bring Indian actors and directors to speak to us.”

A&E Editor: Chris Kornelis Webmistress: Amanda J Hundt
UI Argonaut, 301 Student Union, Moscow, Idaho 83843 208.885.7845

Movies about war to show

The Palouse Peace Coalition will be showing films about war in Iraq on Thursdays at 7 p.m. This Thursday in the UI Commons Whitewater Room, PPC is showing “Paying the Price.”

All are encouraged to attend and discussion will follow the film. “Paying the Price” is a special report by award-winning journalist and filmmaker John Pilger, who along with former UN.. Assistant Secretary General Denis Halliday tours the country, views the decaying infrastructure, visits with the people and investigates the effects of sanctions on the people of Iraq. For more information, visit: wave.prohosting.com/palouse.