Native American road film slated for Thursday showing

From Staff Reports
The Contraband

Calcasieu Cinema International will screen the original Native American road film, Pow Wow Highway (1989), at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 15. The event is free to the public and will be shown at the Central School Auditorium. Sponsored by Mr. Reed Mendelson, the film is adapted from the novel by David Seals and features early performances by A. Martinez, Gary Farmer, Graham Greene, and others. Under the direction of Jonathan Wacks, Pow Wow offers both a serious look at stereotypes and the conditions of contemporary Native Americans while also providing comedy and reflection.

Two very different Cheyenne men embark on a trip to rescue one man’s sister from jail. Philbert is easy-going and more philosophical in nature and is seeking his place in the world through traditional Native resources. Buddy is an activist who has been learning from his oppressors how to use their tools of power. As they work together to fight injustice, encountering great danger along the way, they arrive at a common vision of the modern Cheyenne in the United States. The winner of awards from Sundance and Native American Film Festivals and from Independent Spirit Awards, Pow Wow Highway, according to one reviewer, “[is a journey across Badlands backroads [that] also traverses the emotional territories of comedy, tragedy, and existential mystery” (leathurkatt, “Synopsis for Powwow [sic] Highway,” IMDb, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098112/synopsis?ref_=ttpl_ql_3).

Dr. Ray Miles, Dean of Liberal Arts at McNeese State University, is a specialist in Native American studies and will guide the discussion. Everyone is invited to attend and also to enjoy free popcorn, with free drinks courtesy of Coca-Cola. CCI, a branch of the Council for International Concerns, presents this film in partnership with McNeese State University’s Banners Cultural Series and the Office of Equal Opportunity, The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, Common Ground/Culture Fest Louisiana, Lake Area Psychiatry, The Hearing Center of Lake Charles, Inc., The India Association, and Coca-Cola. For more information, email cbadeaux@mcneese.edu or jkprjs@gmail.com.