Homeland

Produced by Hank Rogerson,Jilann Spitzmiller. 57 min. Color. 2000. Available as: VHS and DVD Captioned: No Catalog #: 0038 Order this title Sale Price: $275.00 Apply for Discount

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Northern Plains, this rich and engaging documentary weaves together the stories of four Lakota Indian families from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Shot over the course of several years, the film provides an inspiring and intimate portrait of contemporary Native American life as well as a unique and compelling depiction of the strength and vitality of Native culture as it unfolds to the viewer over the course of the years.

Ultimately the film balances the many troubles that beset the reservation system with the resilience and fortitude of Lakota culture and spirituality. In doing so, it challenges viewers to recognize and appreciate the power of family, the immense spirit of the natural world, and the healing potential of humor and faith.

Those featured include Michael Little Boy, a spiritual leader who has lived for more than 20 years in a one-room home with his family of seven. He is followed through the tension-filled but gratifying experience of first gaining a new home, and then seeing his family transformed by its arrival.

Grandmother Doris Eagle is determined to put an end to her family's history of alcoholism, a disease that has devastated Native life over several centuries. The film follows Doris as she steadily rebuilds the strength of her family with love and a keen sense of humor.

Thurman Horse is an artist who struggles to raise his four children in "cluster housing" -- a reservation-style ghetto. Over the course of the film, Thurman moves off the reservation twice to find work and a better education for his kids.

Like many people on the reservation, Marian White Mouse is searching for a space that belongs to her alone, a place not regulated by the tribe or federal government. With few resources, Marian tries to build a home on an inherited piece of land in an effort to return to a life of self-sufficiency that is honored in traditional Lakota culture.

"Homeland" will motivate discussion in classes in Native American studies, cultural anthropology, sociology, American studies and history, and comparative religion. It was directed by Jilann Spitzmiller and Hank Rogerson and was produced by Philomath Films in association with the Independent Television Service, with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Reviews

"Provides a warm and accessible look into a part of America rarely seen or understood: Indian reservation life outside the Pow Wow. It should be part of every diversity, Native American studies, and sociology curriculum." -- Michael Hanitchak, Director, Native American Program, Dartmouth College

"Affirms the buoyancy of the human spirit and the will of people to survive. This documentary succeeds on all counts." -- Inez Russell, The Taos News

"An engaging, thought-provoking portrait of Native Americans determined to hold on to Indian ways. Beautifully photographed... a rare and heartfelt view of Lakota families eager to share their lives." -- Betsy Cramer, Santa Barbara Intl. Film Festival

Awards

• "Audience Award for Best Documentary," American Film Institute Film Festival
• "Best Short Documentary" Award, Nashville Independent Film Festival
• Native American Film and Video Festival honoree
• American Anthropological Assn. honoree
• Human Rights Watch Intl. Film Festival honoree
• Denver Intl. Film Festival honoree
• Taos Talking Pictures Festival honoree
• PBS National Broadcasts

Additional Material

A great deal of useful teaching and background material for Homeland can be found at http://www.pbs.org/itvs/homeland.