Institute History
Description
The eyes of Johnnie Greyeyes have seen more of the world than most. A journey through her own history and pain lead Johnnie to love, a sense of spiritual purpose, and resolve with her past. Within the walls of a women’s prison, she finds her being, womanhood, and Lana—her lover and companion of spirit. Gail Maurice, who appeared at the 1999 Festival in Gil Cardinal’s Big Bear, as Johnnie Greyeyes and Columpa Bobb as Lana bring beauty and grace to the screen.
For the first time, we see a representation of Native American women loving each other in cinema. Johnnie Greyeyes is directed by Jorge Manzano, an insightful and gifted filmmaker whose three-year odyssey making this film has led to a powerful contribution to the repertoire of Native filmmaking. Manzano’s film, City of Dreams, was shown at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.
My Brother is a dark rendition of the true story of two brothers who, following the loss of their mother, are raised within the nightmare of the social-services system. Exploited by the very institution that was created to protect them, their lives take very different turns but lead to the same tragic end. With harrowing performances by William Lightning, Cody Lightning, Nathaniel Arcand, and Adam Beach, director Andreas Kidess finds a shadowed style that contributes to the nuances of this lurid history.