Reel Injun: On the Trail of the Hollywood Indian

Trailer (1:43)
Clip 1 (1:37)
Clip 2 (2:22)
Clip 3 (1:55)
Awards
  • 2011 George Foster Peabody Award

  • About the Film

    A young Native American stuntman is seated on the back of a black horse.

    Kemosabe? Loincloths, fringed pants, and feather headdresses? Heap big stereotypes. Reel Injun is an entertaining trip through the evolution of North American Native people ("The Indians") as portrayed in famous Hollywood movies, from the silent era to today.

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  • Get Involved

    Director Neil Diamond sits inside a blue 1980s-era “rez car” on Pine Ridge.

    Make Reel Injun an event — attend a screening or download a discussion guide, a facilitator’s guide, fliers, and postcards and engage your students or friends in a dialog about Hollywood’s stereotypes and the contribution Native people have made to the American cinema.

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  • Talkback

    Russell Banks, in a with tank top and long braids, stares out over the plains of the Pine Ridge Reservation.

    Do you feel that Hollywood’s overarching portrayal of Indians has hurt the Native cause for sovereignty and justice? Discuss your favorite Native films, actors, and portrayals with other viewers.

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