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Stunning, tender and utterly compelling, War Pony tells the interlocking stories of two Oglala Lakota men coming of age on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
At 23, Bill (Jojo Bapteise Whiting) just wants to make something of himself. Whether it’s syphoning gas, delivering goods or breeding Poodles, he is determined to carve his way to the “American Dream”. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Matho (LaDainian Crazy Thunder) can’t wait to become a man. Desperate for approval from his young, unavailable father, a series of destructive decisions turns Matho’s life upside down and he finds himself unequipped to deal with the harsh realities of the adult world.
A powerful tale of life, hope and belonging on the Reservation. Featuring spellbinding performances from first-time actors Jojo Bapteise Whiting and LaDainian Crazy Thunder, and created over a period of several years, in collaboration with members of the Pine Ridge Reservation.
War Pony is the directorial debut of Riley Keough and Gina Gammell, and written with first-time writers, Franklin Sioux Bob and Bill Reddy.
The Garden Cinema View:
The most authentic and well researched depiction of reservation precarity since Chloé Zhao’s docudrama work in Pine Ridge (Songs My Brother Taught Me, The Rider). As with these touchstones, the presence of non-indigenous filmmakers raises some concerns, but the development of the script and characters with Native American writers Franklin Sioux Bob and Bill Reddy, and producer Willi White goes some distance to mitigate this. All that being said, the resulting film feels undoubtedly true to lived experience. A loose, dual narrative structure which takes the time to establish a superb sense of setting before gradually twists into a gripping flashpoint.
Cast:
Jojo Bapteise Whiting, LaDainian Crazy Thunder, Robert Stover, Ashley Shelton, Iona Red Bear