American Outrage 2008
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by George Gage and Beth Gage
Directed by George Gage and Beth Gage
DVD, color, 56 min. and 33 min. versions
Sr. High - Adult
Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Ethics, Geography, History, Human Rights, Law, Native American Studies, Political Science, Sociology
Date Entered: 04/08/2009
ALA Notable: ALA.gif
Reviewed by Douglas Reed, Department of Political Science, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR
Bravery against overwhelming odds is the stuff that American West folklore is made of, but for Carrie and Mary Dann, two Western Shoshone grandmothers, the struggle is quite real.
American Outrage chronicles the Dann sisters’ decades-old fight to operate their ranch on Western Shoshone tribal land in Nevada. Their battle began in 1974, when the U.S. government sued the Danns for trespassing, charging they lacked a livestock grazing permit. Subsequently, the Bureau of Land Management has staged multiple efforts to confiscate the sisters’ cattle and horses. Even as the camera bears witness to the government’s manhandling tactics, animal cruelty, and lust for mineral wealth, these headstrong grandmothers have continued to fend off a takeover.
The documentary also gives a clear timeline of events that have shaped arguments over Western Shoshone tribal property. The tribe did not cede territory in Treaty of Ruby Valley (1863), their original peace treaty with the U.S. government. However, in 1962 the government ruled the Western Shoshone had lost their land by gradual encroachment. The Dann sisters appealed their claim to the U.S. Supreme Court but lost in narrow interpretation of their situation in U.S. v. Dann (1985). In 2006, the Danns made their case for indigenous peoples’ rights to a United Nations human rights committee, who condemned U.S. actions and urged the government to address the Danns’ grievances.
The cinematography of American Outrage captures the beauty and the ruggedness of the Dann sister’s lives and terrain of their ancestors. Scenic vistas of the Nevada desert provide a stunning backdrop for filming inside the Danns’ rustic home. Their love for the land and their quiet determination is evident in these intimate moments.
American Outrage was an award-winning entry at the Amercian Indian Film Festival, Ashland Independent Film Festival, Asheville Film Festival, Boulder International Film Festival, Frozen River Film Festival, Houston WorldFest, Montreal Presence Autochtone Film Festival, Mountainfilm Telluride, and San Luis Obispo International Film Fest.
Highly recommended for academic and public libraries, American Outrage is also an outstanding resource for courses in history, government, sociology, law, and ethics. The DVD offers instructors flexibility by providing both full-length and abbreviated versions of the documentary. Bonus features include three short extra scenes and SDH captions for the deaf and hearing impaired.