Lily Gladstone in ‘Fancy Dance’ at NSU’s Native Film Series 7

NATCHITOCHES, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — Northwestern State University (NSU) continues its annual celebration of Native filmmaking with Native Film Series 7, including a free, public screening of Fancy Dance at the Student Union Ballroom on November 10 at 5:30 p.m.

The film is led by Golden Globe winner Lily Gladstone, the first Indigenous person nominated for an Academy Award.

In the film, she plays Jax. After her sister, Tawi, disappears, Jax takes in her niece, Roki. The two must try to get law enforcement involved in finding Tawi while avoiding child protective services’ attempts to give custody of Roki to her father.

Until recent years, media portrayals of indigenous people were filled with stereotypes and lacked understanding of native culture and lives, frequently using white actors in “brown face” rather than Indigenous actors.

As more Native people became involved in more aspects of filmmaking, change began to occur gradually.

Dr. Rebecca Riall of the Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama, anthropologist, attorney, and coordinator of American Indian and Indigenous Studies at NSU, explained, “The late 1980s saw some Native-made films such as Pow-Wow Highway reach a wider audience.”

“Before that, most Native films in the U.S. received small releases geared towards tribal audiences. It wasn’t until 2021 that the first Native-written mainstream television show ran in the U.S.” 

Heather Salter Dromm of the Choctaw-Apache Tribe of Ebarb, and instructor of English, Language, and Cultural Studies, said, “Native films are different from films about Natives. Although Native cultures are diverse, there is often a shared sense of using humor to get through dark times that many audiences can relate to.”

“I think it’s important and interesting to share films from different cultures and hope that many people from the Natchitoches area will join us.”

NSU has fostered long-standing relationships with several indigenous tribes and frequently offers programs about their cultures.

Breanna Murphy of the Choctaw-Apache Tribe of Ebarb and president of NSU’s Native American Student Association (NASA) said, “The Native Film Series is an annual event. This is the seventh year. The film series highlights Native-made films and invites the public to share the cultures.”

“NASA is excited to cosponsor the Fancy Dance screening and to celebrate the rich cultures of Native Americans during National Native American Heritage Month.”

The NSU Native Film Series is sponsored by American Indian & Indigenous Studies, the Gail Metoyer Jones Center, the Department of English, Language, and Cultural Studies; Anthropology and Sociology, part of the School of Social Sciences and Applied Programs, and the Native American Student Association.