Reel Injun

I found this one to be very informative about the all the negative stereotypes that Native people all over Turtle Island used to face a lot through images seen about them on TV and the big screen!! Fortunately, it isn't as bad as it used to be in my opinion since Natives are being viewed as a lot more human.

I learned a TON from this film. I started watching it thinking I had a good handle on just how terrible Hollywood has been to the cause of First Nations education, but I was wrong.

Growing up in Waskaganish, Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond remembers playing cowboys and Indians, but having to choose a side meant all the children preferred the role of cowboys. Myths and assumptions concerning Native Americans have been around for ages however, the documentary Reel Injun addresses these falsified beliefs.

The history of the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood films...What we have is a film that features "white guys" playing Native Americans and the secret identity of Iron Eyes Cody.

*Spoiler/plot- Reel Injun, 2009. A documentary of a young Canadian Cree Indian to explore how native Americans have been publicly portrayed by others through the cinema.

A must see for anyone who is interested in Native American Culture. This film, directed by a Native American, explores the misrepresentation of Native Americans in Hollywood over the years.

I am an Ojibwe American Indian. In the first place, including Rusell Means in this film proves how absolutely uninformed the film maker really is.

(I originally intended this to be a discussion post, but I figured it was more of a review, so that's why it's here) I came here hoping to see via the MovieConnections which films were referenced, so I could remember to seek out certain ones that intrigued me, particularly from the silent era. However, this film doesn't seem to get many viewers, and that section remains empty so far.

Reel Injun is a wonderful primer for all things cinematic of the Native American portrayal in Hollywood. At once eye-opening, depressing but ultimately hopeful for future film generations.