Lights, Camera, Sovereignty: Contemporary Indigenous Cinema

Class Description

This course examines Native American and broader Indigenous filmmaking in what is today known as North America, centering Native-made works across narrative, documentary, experimental, and episodic forms. We study how filmmakers innovate with language and storytelling to assert visual sovereignty, challenge stereotypes, express identity and build community. Alongside weekly movie screenings, we will rely on Indigenous critics and scholars to better contextualize our analysis of history, method, ethics, production contexts, distribution, and audience reception. Students will develop tools for close visual analysis, historically grounded critique, and community-aware evaluation of impact.

All virtual classes are recorded and made available to participants registered in the class. These recordings are password-protected and available for up to two weeks after the class ends.

Léna Remy-Kovach is a lecturer and a PhD candidate in Indigenous Studies. She specializes in contemporary Native literature. She lives in Teejop, also known as Madison, Wisconsin, on traditional Ho-Chunk territory.

What to Expect

Format: Virtual

Class Capacity: 25

Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged

Materials List

Required

• Instructor-Distributed Materials
  • Weekly movies and videos will be updated depending on availability, prioritizing open-source or shared streaming access. Participants can access the movies online, on various streaming platforms. No subscription or purchase is required.
  • Readings include scholarly work, interviews, commentary, reviews, and filmmaker statements.

First Assignment (sent by the instructor about one week before class)

• Selection from Reservation Reelism by Michelle H. Raheja

• Selection from Wiping the War Paint off the Lens by Beverly R. Singer

• Selection of scenes from Reel Injun (2009)

A Brief Syllabus

1. Introduction: Framing topics and methodologies
2. Sound: speak, silence, and song
3. Gender, care, kinship in urban spaces
4. Native thrillers: cinematic tension as social critique
5. Treaties, policy, and land: litigation on screen

Cost and Registration

5 Sessions, $255 ($229.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($255), Community Supported ($235), and Sponsor ($275). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.

The views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.

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View our full schedule of adult education classes.

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Questions?

Call us at (312) 255-3700 or send us an email at adulteducation@newberry.org.

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