“Dodging Bullets”: A Documentary on Native American Historical Trauma (Mpls/St. Paul Film Festival)

Dodging Bullets, a documentary film on Native American Historical Trauma, will get two special advance screenings at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Film Festival. Here are the times:

• Monday, April 16 / 7:00 PM / St. Anthony Main Theatre 2 – Minneapolis
• Thursday, April 19 / 6:45 PM / Metro State University, Film Space, Founders Hall, – St. Paul
  

It costs $14 for the general public, $11 for Film Festival members, and $8 for students with ID.

Here’s the trailer.

According to the film’s promoters:

The documentary is the first to chronicle the impact of historical trauma on the lives of Native peoples today, giving voice to their stories of survival and resilience in the face of multigenerational pain and grief.

Co-directed by a group of Native and non-Native filmmakers, the documentary makes clear that the trauma of colonization remains deeply embedded in Native communities. Part of healing this trauma is dependent upon non-Native people recognizing not only past brutality but also understanding the ongoing racism and disenfranchisement faced by Native communities today.

“Stories of Survival from Historical Trauma will help us to heal. However, it is our connections to our culture, traditions, and family that has allowed us to not only to survive but will allow us to thrive now…and forever,” said Kathy Broere (Blackfeet) who directed the Browning Segment of the film.

The documentary takes the viewer on a journey between the past and present, beginning with first contact and the derogatory stereotypes of racist mascots and the movement to change the Washington football team’s name. It then moves to the horror of Indian boarding schools and forced assimilation, the ongoing violation of treaty rights and the prevalence of police violence and suicide on reservations. The film ends with a powerful testament to the healing taking place across Indian Country.

Augsburg Native American Film Series Continues …

For another film option, the latest offering from the Augsburg Native American Film Series will be on Wednesday, April 11, titled:CELEBRATING NATIVE VOICES: SHORT FICTION AND DOCUMENTARY FILMS BY NATIVE AMERICAN FILMMAKERS.

It will be held at the University of St. Thomas campus at the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center Auditorium (located on Cleveland Ave and Portland Ave), 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul, from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

According to the announcement:

We will be screening a short films ranging from silent mystery to poetic documentary, all of which are family and youth friendly.  Join us for films and conversations with the filmmakers/producers–Kalvin Hartwig (Anishinaabe) and his creative, international Indigenous team (Marie-Celine Einish, Janene Yazzi (Dine), Andrea Landry (Anishinaabe), Manuel Ibanez (Quechua)), Pamela J. Peters, Sarah Del Seronde, and Isaac Trimble and Team RedFawn at the University of St. Thomas.