Native American Heritage in Films: A Discussion Series (Part 1) | Online

Prof. William Costanzo, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of English and Film, will use selected film clips to help trace progression and to facilitate a lively discussion.

Nov. 13: Part One will focus on Hollywood and independent films that illustrate the various stories told by Native Americans throughout movie history.

Nov. 20: Part Two will focus on the perspective of the writers, performers, and directors who helped to tell these stories.

If movies are a mirror of our culture, the changing images of Native Americans on film reflect our shifting views and values over time. In the early Westerns, America's First people appeared on screen as hostile redskin savages. As American attitudes evolved, the camera focused more on Native Americans as individuals, accentuating their languages, culture and diverse communities.