Sisters Rising Documentary
sistersrisingmovie.com
Sisters Rising is the story of six Native American women fighting to restore personal and tribal sovereignty in the face of ongoing colonial violence against indigenous women in the United States.
Dawn was in the Army, now she’s a tribal cop in the midst of the North Dakota oil boom that threatens to pull the last threads of her Native culture apart. Sarah is an attorney and scholar fighting to overturn restrictions on tribal sovereignty and increase legislative protections for Native women. Patty is a wanderer, teaching indigenous women’s self-defense. Loreline and Lisa are grassroots advocates working outside of the system to support survivors of violence and influence legislative change. Chalsey is writing the first anti-sex trafficking code to be introduced to a reservation’s tribal court.
Native American women are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault than all other American women. Amnesty International found that 1 in 3 Native women reports having been raped during her lifetime and that 86% of the offenses are committed by non-Native men. Non-Indian perpetrators exploit gaps in tribal jurisdictional authority and target Native women as ‘safe victims’ with near-impunity.
Sisters Rising is an urgent call to action, a gorgeous portrait of powerful women acting in solidarity, and a demand for tribal sovereignty and self-determination as the necessary step towards ending violence against Native women.
Directed & Produced by Willow O'Feral and Brad Heck
Executive Producer Tantoo Cardinal
Co-Producer Jaida Grey Eagle
Original Music by Allison Leialoha Milham
Editor Jenn Ruff
Assistant Editor Razelle Benally
Trailer Editor Shirley Thompson
Colorist Anastasia Shepherd
Post-Production Sound Mixer Ben Rogers