The fifth annual Shining Mountains Film Festival (SMFF), presented by the Aspen Indigenous Foundation (AIF), was held on Dec. 1-2 at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen.
Deanne Vitrac-Kessler, SMFF founder and AIF founder and executive director, said, “The film selections are focused on the resilience, strength and talents of all Native nations who, after years of genocide and aggressive plans of extermination by the American and Canadian governments, are not only ‘still here’ but are reclaiming their rights, fighting to protect their languages, their identity and being at the forefront of environmental protection movements.”
The opening film “Lakota Nation vs. the United States” is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the Lakota Nation’s continued legal battles with the U.S. government to reclaim the Black Hills of South Dakota, also the site of Mount Rushmore. The current Indigenous-led environmental, cultural and political Land Back movement calls for acknowledging and returning Indigenous sovereignty.
Saturday afternoon featured five short films, beginning with “The Road,” starring Stardale Women’s Group (SWG), a program in Calgary, Alberta, which serves Indigenous girls ages 10-17.
The film’s subtitle — “What Happened to Our Mothers, Sisters, Daughters” — refers to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement focused on combating widespread violence against Indigenous people, which often leads to people going missing or being murdered. In the film, young Indigenous women speak out about being the targets of misogynistic and racist comments and actions. Through the film they aim to garner more news coverage for the MMIW issue.
“Healing of the Dragonfly” is the inspiring story of ledger artist Joe Pulliam, raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, who found sobriety and purpose through his art. He uses accounting ledger and stock certificate paper from the mid- to late-1800s to produce watercolor paintings.
“Paddle Tribal Waters” tells the story of Indigenous youth learning whitewater kayaking in hopes of becoming the first people to paddle the restored Klamath River after dam removal from source to sea. The kayakers reconnect river sections that have not flowed freely for over a century and reclaim their role as water protectors.
“Games of the North” showcases athletes who compete in traditional Inuit sports competitions to unite communities during the unforgiving Arctic winters. The feats of athletic prowess and mental toughness also serve as conditioning for the dangerous traversing of ice floes during whale hunting season.
“Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count)” tells the story of the Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP), based in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. CRYP Executive Director Julie Garreau envisioned using graffiti as a contemporary method of marking “winter count,” the Indigenous method of visual storytelling. In July, the annual RedCan invitational graffiti jam brings together notable Indigenous graffiti artists and CRYP youth to reclaim community spaces by creating graffiti murals.
Saturday night’s screening of the documentary “Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi (Before the Sun)” profiles 21-year-old Logan Red Crow as she trains in Blackfoot territory to compete in Indian relay — bareback relay horse racing — a sport that is, to this day, dominated by male competitors. With the support of family and friends and inspired by the legacy of her late grandmother, a relay racer herself, Red Crow, in 2021, became the first female relay rider at the Calgary Stampede.
Closing out the festival, “Yazzie” follows the upbringing of Larry Yazzie in Meskwaki Nation in Tama, Iowa, and his rise to two-time World Champion Fancy Dancer fame. After the film, Yazzie and his friend, Bart Powaukee, performed traditional dances dressed in full regalia with brightly colored ribbons, beads, feathers and fur. On Sunday, Yazzie staged a solo dance performance.
The award presentation ceremony had film participants take the Wheeler stage for one last round of applause. “Before the Sun” received the Best Feature award, while “Paddle Tribal Rivers” won Best Short. Two films — “The Road” and “Healing of the Dragonfly” — were honored with Audience Choice awards.