LAKOTA NATION VS. UNITED STATES Review: Mesmerizing True Story

It's not very often that people get to see indigenous representation on the screen but Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli pull it off with this fresh documentary, Lakota Nation vs. United States.

In this tale of justice and reparations, the Lakota people struggle to take back their land, the Black Hills in South Dakota. As the story unfolds, they uncover treaty violations that have taken place in the past. Investigating such history takes an insurmountable amount of time and effort on the side of the filmmakers.

The film seems to be an oddity unto itself, as it is so very rare to see an indigenous person's point of view in a documentary or any other form of media. Looking at this space with a foreign lens, I realize how incredible their story is. The documentary captures the spirit and majesty of the people while paying proper homage to them and the land that they have lost over time.

Realizing how racist and insensitive earlier depictions of these people are, it brings a sense of accountability and self-reflection about such topics in the mainstream media that people thought was okay to do at the time. It wasn't okay, of course; people were very ignorant of those facts and some still are. I have no doubt about that.

Despite all of that, this movie is a beautifully-filmed project that stays prideful in its execution and focused on its purpose. Lakota Nation vs. United States unfolds in a mesmerizing manner, almost like a flower unfurling its petals during the springtime.

Journeying to the heart and soul of a subject takes immense skill and talent. Bull and Tomaselli are adept at such activities with this project.

The film opens July 14, exclusively in New York, and July 21 in Los Angeles (Laemmle Royal Theatre) and San Francisco, with select cities throughout the U.S. to follow, via IFC Films. Visit the official site for more information.