Oyate 2019
Distributed by Documentary Educational Resources, 101 Morse Street, Watertown, MA 02472; 617-926-0491
Produced by Dan Girmus
Directed by Dan Girmus
Streaming, 72 mins
High School - General Adult
Family; Native Peoples; Pine Ridge - South Dakota
Date Entered: 08/24/2020
Reviewed by Danette Pachtner, Librarian for Film, Video & Digital Media and Women's Studies, Duke UniversityOyate is director, Dan Girmus', first full-length documentary film. It is a beautiful, observational depiction of life on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Unlike so many other documentaries about Pine Ridge that focus on the poverty and deprivation of Lakota residents, this film interrupts that narrative to celebrate families and the intimacy of their day to day lives. We experience tribal meetings, kids in class, get news from the local radio station, and follow the "oyate"--the Lakota word for "the people" or "nation." Girmus' cinematography is magnificent. He juxtaposes lush, sweeping landscapes with quiet, interior spaces. His camera never intrudes or judges. While not being overtly political, we see residents speak up for their stolen rights, against systemic prejudices. This film is recommended for Native American Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Documentary Studies and Cinema Studies.
Awards:
Winner, Artistic Vision Award — Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, 2017; Finalist, Regard Neuf prize for best debut feature film — Visions du Réel, 2017