A trail of broken treaties, the quest for sovereignty, a collective journey in healing, and a call for self-determination all come together in Lakota Nation vs. the United States, a new film directed by Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli from IFC Films. The lyrical and provocative film provides a comprehensive, unflinching narrative of the struggles and triumphs of the Očéti Šakówiŋ/Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Nation and their ongoing fight to regain stewardship and protection of “He Sapa”—the Black Hills.
As the film opens, grounding and somber shots invite the viewer to connect to places within the communities of the Očéti Šakówiŋ. Through interviews with community organizers and leaders, as well as a cache of historical and contemporary footage, viewers will gain an empathetic understanding of the urgency of the complex issues facing the Očéti Šakówiŋ. From the fight for treaty rights, the discovery of gold, and the subsequent illegal confiscation of land to the battle against ecocide and the impact of boarding schools, the documentary offers an insightful look at the challenges these communities face and the steps made toward regaining stewardship of their sacred birthplace.
The impassioned personal stories of the elders, community organizers, and cultural bearers in the film encourage viewers to bear witness to the resilience and fortitude of these communities—though, of course, it alone can’t explore every facet of this complicated issue. “I think that one of the things Jesse and I talk about a lot—and it’s really at the crux of a lot of documentary editing—is how do you simplify something without losing the truth of it? Because every detail you lose, you are kind of whittling away like this central story,” says codirector Laura Tomaselli. Below, she and codirector Jesse Short Bull discuss radical optimism, the importance of listening to intuition, and lending dignity and honor to the act of protest. As Short Bull puts it, “You can always make things better. And that’s what a lot of our Indigenous people are trying to do. They want their kids to have a better life; they want the land to be in better shape…. Regardless of the difficult history or the deceit on behalf of the United States, at the end of the film, I hope people can feel good about themselves.”
Courtesy of IFC Films.
Vanity Fair: In Indigenous communities, our introductions help us understand relationality to each other. Can we start with that?
Jesse Shortbull: My name is Jesse Shortbull. My Lakota name is Mni Wanca Wicapi (Ocean Star). I am a member of the Oglala Lakota Oyate or Oglala Sioux Tribe. The band that I descend from is a band of both Wazhazha Band and Chief Lip Tiospaye. That’s on my father’s side and my mother’s side; she is of German Irish descent.
Laura Tomaselli: My name is Laura Tomaselli. I grew up in southern New Hampshire, and moved to New York City for a long time.
Could you share how this journey began, and what this project means to you?
Shortbull: In South Dakota, I live in a border town. Growing up, I always knew that adults were engaged in meetings. I never really understood what they were up to. As I started to enter my college years, I discovered that many of these older folks were up to treaty councils—completely grassroots, with no funding—making sure that our treaty rights are first and foremost.