To change the world.
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‘Coexistence, My Ass!’
The film screens Wednesday at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival after celebrating its international premiere at TiDF Tuesday night.
Leonard Peltier, American Indian Movement leader, is led across Okalla prison exercise yardGetty Images
Short Bulls producers, Jody Archambault, Jane Myers and Bird Runningwater, made the introduction between the filmmakers.
How did the two filmmakers complement each other?
My philosophy is, How can I best serve the story?
‘Free Leonard Peltier’Public Square Films
However, Im from Pine Ridge.
I live here, in southwestern South Dakota.
Im active within my tribe.
Im really rooted here in the community.
I became a servant to the story, in that sense.
We wanted to ask the question, Why did this happen?
Jesse brought all of that to the interviewing; I was more involved in the shaping of the archive.
For France, generational trauma figured largely in joining theFree Leonard Peltierproject.
We all brought a tremendous history of personal trauma to all of these questions that we were taking on.
That united us in our dedicated pursuit of truth in this story.
What was ingrained in me being around Pine Ridge was how you communicate with people.
Essentially, every word that you speak should be viewed like a prayer.
In this process of filmmaking, its a delicate balance, Short Bull continues.
One of our producers suggested that we begin our process with a prayer for the production.
He also said something that they tell us in journalism school: Leave yourself behind.
I attempt to practice what I sometimes call radical empathy in my journalism, France continues.
I knew it was going to be difficult for me in this story.
And often, Jesse would keep his eyes closed through the interview, and didnt ask follow-up questions.
Short Bull and France used other audio sources, such as phone conversations friends and family had surreptitiously recorded.
Thanks to AI technology, the filmmakers enhanced the quality of all of the recordings.
And there was a small part where we used his writings to address an area that he hadnt covered.
This was all done with his permission.
People really felt the need to do something on Leonards case, France maintains.
But now, given the current administrations turbo-charged authoritarian proclivities, the team is facing significant headwinds.
There is hope, Short Bull asserts.
Back in the 70s, things got so bad.
Weve seen darker days, where our people were hurting each other regularly.
But a lot of positive activity grew out of that.
If we can crawl out of that, we can get out of any situation.
