Educational Media Reviews Online

Documentary filmmaker Jessie Adler’s The Boxers of Brule follows Shaionna Grass Rope, who forms a boxing team for girls in the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota to help them overcome the issues that plague their community. The team is organized in the aftermath of the suicide of Shaionna’s best friend, cousin, and fellow boxer Cheryl Ziegler. Cheryl, like many members of the community, battled with depression, addiction, and health problems. Since her passing, Shaionna faces similar struggles, while simultaneously trying to impart a better path for her pupils in the boxing program.

The documentary touches on many of the problems facing indigenous peoples as it follows Shaionna and her family throughout their daily lives. She and the team are shown smiling, laughing and bonding through their experiences, in the midst of pain and mourning. Adler’s direction deftly captures the lives of the people who reside on the reservation by incorporating their music, attending festivals and events, and participating in intimate gatherings to demonstrate that their community and culture persist in spite of their many hardships.

The film is an informative and impactful glimpse into the lives of people for whom generational trauma is part of their daily experience. This film would be useful in courses or classes that discuss Contemporary Indigenous Studies as well as studies of Addiction and Depression in Indigenous and Native communities. This film is Recommended.