- [Announcer] This series was created in partnership with the Sundance Institute.

More information at sundance.org Funding for "Native Shorts" was made possible by a generous grant from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and from viewers like you.

(bold drumming music) ♪ (singing in indigenous language) ♪ ♪ ♪ - [Bird] "Native Shorts", presented by Sundance Institute's Indigenous Program.

- Hello!

And, welcome to "Native Shorts."

I'm Ariel Tweto.

- And, I'm Bird Runningwater.

- And, we're back!!

- Yes!

Season four, "Native Shorts."

- It's been a while.

- It has been.

- What?

Like, pre-pandemic?

- Pre-pandemic.

- Three, four years.

- Something.

- You haven't aged a day.

- Oh, I got a few grays.

- Same!

(Bird laughs) Oh, my God.

They came in fast!

But, you look stunning.

- Aw, this old thing?

(Ariel chuckles) - What's new?

- Well?

I don't know.

I don't know if you know that I left Sundance Institute about two years ago to go take a producing deal.

And so, I'm still trying to champion Indigenous film, Native film, but now on the commercial side of the industry, which is totally in shambles at the moment.

And, you?

What about you?

- Oh, man!

Life.

- Yeah.

- I am just traveling a lot, going back to Alaska pretty often.

Still working in adventure shows and animation.

- Fun?

- Yeah.

It's really fun, but it's exciting to be back.

I'm so happy to be back here.

- Well, Alaska must have a bright sun; you have a great tan!

- Oh, thank you!

(both laugh) You, too.

I know!

I've been outside a lot.

I feel like the sun is definitely showing.

- Right!

- Yeah, it feels good.

- Well, should we dive in to our new season?

I know this next film is going to be very exciting.

- Yes, "Fast Horse".

- Yes.

And, "Fast Horse" is a short film, a short documentary, by Alex Lazarowich who is Cree from Alberta, Canada.

And, she showed this film at Sundance Film Festivals, I think going back to 2018 or so.

But, one of the exciting things about this short doc is that she actually won a special jury prize from the Sundance Short Film jury.

So- - That's awesome.

- Highly competitive, thousands of short films submitted.

One of, like, 90 selected for the festival and it won a mention.

- That's so cool, and just right before we were doing this, Bird was texting her.

So, that's so cool that you could just pull out your phone and be like, "I'm gonna text the director!"

(Bird laughs) Love it.

Well, I'm really excited to watch it.

So, should we dive in?

- Yes.

- Alright, let's start the film.

(film machine whirring/clattering) (click!)

(camera clicking sound) [slow dramatic drumming music] ♪ (skipping rope whooshes) [bold bluesy music] (crowd cheering) ♪ (crowd cheering loudly) - [Cody] Indian Relay was the first extreme sport.

It consists of three horses and four people: three on the ground, one rider.

♪ Us guys, we race 'cause we love it.

I've been around horses my whole life.

So it's just in my blood, I guess.

♪ (car rumbling) - [Allison] I'm excited to see this horse.

You the man.

You the man that's gonna be riding them.

What do you think of him?

- I think he's gonna be a pretty good one to the string, you know?

He's gonna help us clinch a few championships.

You know, just gotta get him seasoned.

We know he can run.

- Yeah.

We know he can run, but it's getting him to run the way we run, eh?

- [Cody] Mm hm.

- Hey, Al.

- Hello, Sean.

Good to see you.

- Good to see you.

- Hi.

- Hi, Al!

I'm Barb.

- It's my wife, Barb.

- Pleased to meet you.

- Nice to meet you, mate.

- Wanna see the horse?

- [Allison] Sure, you bet.

- [Sean] Grand mixture.

(horses neighing loudly) That's one of them.

- Ooh, yeah.

- He ran on Sunday in Woodbine.

Good head on his shoulders; just easy to be around.

(tongue clicking sounds) (horse snorts) Watch out.

(horse snorts) (tongue clicking sounds) (horse whinnies) (tongue clicking sounds) (horse breathes heavily) (whispers) - [Allison] Atta boy.

Atta boy.

(soft whinny) Oh!

He looks like a nice big boy, yeah?

(low voice) - [Cody] Oh, he is.

- Hold him here.

(soft whinny) - [Cody] How are ya, big guy?

(soft whinny) Hey, boy.

- He's taken to you.

(horse breathes heavily) (soft whinny) [light thoughtful music] - [Allison] I really like this guy.

♪ (soft whinny) (breathing sounds) ♪ - Come here, buddy.

Up, up, up, up, up.

Atta boy.

(horse neighs) Go home, buddy.

♪ [dynamic dramatic music] ♪ - [Cody] It's pretty fast and extreme, you know?

You gotta be a good horseman, you know?

You gotta be willing to take some bumps and bruises in the skin 'cause it sometimes it gets pretty extreme out on the track.

I do it 'cause I love the extremeness in it.

And, I love that adrenaline rush it brings every time, you know?

It's pretty nerve wracking goin' out there and having to do what we gotta do, you know?

♪ (horse neighing) (dogs whining playfully) (horse neighing) - [Allison] Horses are what makes us warriors today.

If you work hard enough with them and you're willing to work with them, you're gonna feed off of them.

You're gonna feel that strength, eh?

(horse snorts lightly) (hay crunching sounds) (horse neighing) You treat 'em right, you feed 'em right.

You nourish them like children, they'll do anything for you.

- [Allison] Come here, buddy.

Come on.

Come on, buddy.

We got a training session today.

(metal doors clanking) (truck engine humming softly) - [Allison] Ready, boys?

- [Cody] Yeah.

Okay, I'll try this one even if he flinches.

Oh!

(horse snorts) - Yeah!

He's never had nobody running up and jumping to him, eh?

But, that's alright.

He's gonna have to learn it.

He's gonna have to get used to that.

(flop!)

(horse snorts) Uh huh.

(footsteps) (flop!)

- [Cody] You see how he kind of-?

He put his feet in the proper stance to take my weight, eh?

- Yeah.

- [Cody] And, his head's comin' a lot lower.

(footsteps) (flop!)

For sure, eh?

(horse snorts) Hey, boy.

Hey, boy.

Hey, boy.

(flop!)

Sh--, yeah.

Now from the first one to that one is pretty good, eh?

- [Allison] Yeah.

(Cody chuckles) (tongue clicking sounds) (Cody panting heavily) (hooves pounding) - Oh, sh--!

Easy.

(horse snorts) Easy.

(Cody makes kissing sounds) (horse pants heavily) - [Allison] It's an honor working with these young boys, eh?

These-- the new warriors of today.

(flop!)

- [Cody] Hey, hey, hey.

(hooves pounding) - [Allison] It makes me happy to see them that they're being involved with horses, eh?

They're trying to stay out of the negative things of life, eh?

And, the horse is something that keeps us out of trouble.

(tongue clicking sounds) (horses panting/snorting) - [Cody] I raced last year, but I was the back holder so I kind of got to watch and learn; still be a part of it, still be on the track, just not riding.

So, now when Al asked me to jockey I was pretty nervous.

But then, I told him I'd dedicate myself to ridin' relay for him.

So, this is my first year goin' hard at it.

You know, I feel like I can run right with them.

♪ [dramatic music] (crowd cheering) - [Cody] You gotta time the momentum.

You gotta time the horse's stride and just hopefully it all comes together.

Sometimes it does; sometimes it doesn't, you know?

(horses neighing) [fast-paced drumming music] ♪ (soft breeze blowing) - [Cody] Pretty excited; pretty stoked, you know?

Less than 24 hours, so it's a big show.

It's the big day we've been waitin' for.

We've been trainin' hard, you know?

♪ I think he's almost ready, eh?

(horses neighing) Sure a lot of people back home are pumped up for us anywhere we go.

You know?

We're representin' for our hometown here on Siksika.

(kissing sound) Everyone's just rooting for us to do good out there, you know?

(galloping sounds) ♪ - [Cody] My daughter loves relay racing.

She'll get to look back on in the future and be like, "Gee, my dad relay raced at Calgary Stampede when it very first started."

♪ Relay racing's a family tradition, you know?

I say it's good to have your family by your side, you know?

♪ - [Allison] We always call upon our grand folks above and I'm sure they're smilin' down on us and saying, "Hey, those are my grandsons."

Show up; that's the main thing.

And, cross that finish line for the people back home of Siksika, eh?

[dramatic upbeat music] ♪ [fast-paced electronic music] ♪ ♪ (tape stretching sounds) ♪ - [Track Announcer] Calgary, are you ready to witness the most extreme sport in all of the North American continent?

In the blue and yellow, we have Old Sun from the Siksika Nation.

Cody Big Tobacco will be your rider.

Mark, Allison and Racey Redcrow are on the grounds.

Who's ready to race?

Make some noise!

(announcer fades) (crowd cheering/applauding) [tense dramatic music] ♪ ♪ (horn blows) - [Announcer] And, they're off!

[fast-paced dramatic music] Anything can happen!

We have three laps to try to the control the pace!

- Hold them still!

♪ (horse breathing heavily) - [Announcer] On the back stretch now and trying to hold on!

"Lone Wolf" and Piegan Nation out in front.

Watch the exchanges!

Here we come!

"Star School" leads the first two- - He's comin'!

He's comin'!

♪ [tense dramatic music] ♪ (thump!)

- [Announcer] Oh, rider down!

Rider down!

- [Cody] I got hit!

♪ - Come on, Cody!

- [Announcer] Out in front now, it's a race between "Star School" and "Lone Wolf".

(horse panting) Try to finish out the race.

The "Carlson Team" dominating the track right now!

(horse panting) (hooves pounding) [tense dramatic music] (horse panting) (hooves pounding) ♪ - [Announcer] One more exchange!

This is where good races are won and lost!

♪ Watch the exchange!

The mugger is out!

Catch him.

Jump on!

(grunting/groaning) - [Cody] Come on!!

- [Announcer] And, away...we go!

(horse panting) (hooves pounding) What a race!

(hooves pounding) As they hit the back stretch, "Carlson Team" trying to gain some positioning!

It's a race right now between the "Carlson Team" and "Lone Wolf."

And, way in the back you see our team of Old Sun in the blue and yellow.

♪ (horse panting) (hooves pounding) - Right on, boys!

Right on, bros. (crowd cheering/applauding) [crowd cheering/applauding] [slow somber music] (soft footsteps) [slow somber music] ♪ (thump!)

♪ (splashing sounds) [slow somber music] (splashing) ♪ [singer singing at track] ♪ - [Cody] F---, you nailed me good.

- My bad, bud.

My bad.

- It's all good.

Part of the game, bro.

- F---, yeah.

You alright?

- Yeah, I just-?

F---, I jumped-- - I didn't see you, bro.

- I jumped on too earl-- No!

I jumped and hit, and boom!

- F---!

Hey, my bad.

- You're just rollin', bro.

Don't worry about a thing, bro.

- Thanks, man.

- It's all good.

- Hope you're alright, man.

Long as you're alright.

(Cody groans) - Cody, you alright?

- Got smoked really good, bro.

- I know.

Gee?

I had 'em all set.

- I know.

- All of a sudden you just went out the picture!

- I know, bro!

I took two steps and I got nailed!

- I know!

I seen that.

- Respect; don't worry about it.

I'm glad-- glad you're not seriously hurt.

- [Cody] At least we finished.

- Crossed the finish line; the Calgary Stampede wanted us here.

We made it.

♪ - [Cody] It's an honor to have that ability to ride like that.

- You bet, we'll be here!

- Eventually, we're gonna get bigger, badder, and better.

But for now, we just gotta keep havin' fun and just run relay.

Next year, we'll come back runnin' harder than ever.

[thoughtful organ music] ♪ - [Allison] Racing has been amongst us for generations.

It's instilled in us, eh?

[drumming/singing in Blackfoot language] [Allison speaking in Blackfoot language] [drumming/singing] [Allison speaking in Blackfoot language] [drumming/singing in Blackfoot language] [music stops] Okay!

(Allison chuckles) [drumming/singing in Blackfoot language] ♪ [drumming/group singing in Blackfoot language] ♪ [music fades] - [Ariel] Bravo!

That was so good.

- Right?

- I like that last scene.

It's, like, their superhero walk!

(Bird chuckles) They all look so good.

- Coming out the gate.

- So, motivating.

I wanna go there in person, though.

- Yes.

- Have you done it?

- I have not.

Calgary Stampede is supposed to be one of those huge, great horse-driven rodeo events which is, like, definitely on the bucket list.

- Yeah!

I wanna go there in person, but I also wanna learn how to, like, compete!

(Bird laughs) But, I think first I need to learn how to ride a horse and maybe work on my jumping skills.

- I wore my riding boots, even though it's a different kind of riding.

But-?

(Ariel chuckles) Well?

This film is Alex-- they call her Alex Lazarowich.

It's her kind of, like, first directorial effort.

She's mostly known as a producer.

She's produced documentaries.

She's been a showrunner for doc series in Canada.

But, this was kind of a story she just felt the need to direct, herself.

And, when I was texting her earlier, I just kind of said, how many cameras were on this shoot?

Because, it feels like there were 10.

All the different angles that were shot, you know?

And, she said she had three cameras, but then they also used footage from the actual stampede itself.

- Yeah.

And the GoPros, too.

I like how it was on their chest in the beginning, 'cause it makes you feel like you're right there on the horse with them.

That was really cool.

- [Bird] That first person point of view is so critical, I feel like, to the energy of the film.

But, I also like how at the beginning she kind of foreshadows kind of like some of that energy, but then drops into kind of the character development.

You know, the guy who's learning how to jump on the horses and the old man narrating who's their mentor.

- Yeah.

- You know?

- Because this was shot in 2018, I believe?

- I think it might've even been 2017 'cause it's at the 2018 Sundance Festival.

- Oh, yeah.

OK.

Awesome.

Yeah.

I wonder if the main character's still riding now or if he's, like, proceeded in his long career.

(Bird laughs) We'll have to check on his Instagram or something.

- Yeah.

Well?

These guys are from the Siksika Nation, which is the traditional name for the Blackfeet people.

They're part of the Blackfeet Confederacy, which actually spans across Canada and the U.S. And, the rider is Cody Big Tobacco, and Allison Redcrow is the elder mentor- - Okay.

- In the story.

And so, it's just like-- It's such a really wonderfully contained energetic film with, like, really strong grounding, you know?

- Yeah.

- Like when Cody, when his-- he's showing his family?

You know, like his kids and him riding horses, and-- - Yeah.

There's a lot of symbolism too about, like, horseback riding with the connection between the animal and the person and nature, like everything.

I wanna learn more about all that too 'cause I know there's a lot more symbolism that I haven't thought about.

- Yeah.

- Between, like, the horse and the person and how they treat almost the horse like a-?

Like-?

Not a relative, but like something deeper than a animal and a human.

It's just like they're one.

- Yeah.

- Which is really cool.

- I agree, and I think for those of us, many of us who kind of come from horse people, horse nations, it's kind of like-- I think in the short film, it's kind of alluded to that the horse was always about-- A lot of it was about going into battle and warriorship and all these things.

- Yeah.

- All these kind of this thought and tradition that they're really trying to carry forward.

- Yeah.

It's so foreign to me 'cause I grew up not as a horse person, but as a dog person.

Like, in Alaska we're all dog mushers.

And so, this whole horse world, I'm like very-?

I'm just like...didn't know anything about it.

But now, I'm like, "How fascinating!"

(Bird chuckles) No, it's so cool to learn about, though.

- Well?

I grew up riding horses, and-- but I don't know how to ride horseback and I don't know how to get on a horse (Ariel laughs) the way that was!

But, it was kind of like, so shocking the fact that he got hit by the horse.

- Oh, I know.

Ugh!

- And, he didn't finish first.

Which, you know, you're rooting for him, which is always part of a great film and great character development-- - And, part of life.

Sometimes you get hit, but you gotta get back up.

And, he did and he got moving forwards.

So, that-- - Kept on going.

- Yeah.

- Right.

Go, guy!

- Could all take a lesson from that.

- Yeah.

So, should we dive into the next film?

- Yes, let's do that.

- Yeah.

It's called "Throat Singing in Kangirsuk."

- Hmm!

- OK. - Do you know?

Would you like to elaborate?

- Yes.

Well, this film, short film, was made through a collaboration of Wapikoni Media, which is a kind of traveling film collaboration teaching group out of Canada.

And, in this instance, they went to an Inuit community to collaborate with the two women who are actually throat singing in this piece.

- Yep.

And, they're the main characters in this piece.

- Yeah.

And so they co-directed.

- Oh, love it.

I love it!

And, I love education.

So cool.

But, (claps) let's do it!

"Throat Singing in Kangirsuk."

(film machine whirring/clattering) (geese honking sounds) (wing-flapping sounds) ♪ (wind whooshing) (breathing percussively; "throat singing") ♪ (Eva and Manon throat singing) ♪ (Evan and Manon laughing) (wind whooshing) (Eva speaking in Inuit language) (high-pitch throat singing) (low percussive throat singing) ♪ (high-pitch throat singing) (low percussive throat singing) ♪ (high-pitch throat singing) (low percussive throat singing) ♪ (low percussive throat singing) (high-pitch throat singing) (they stop) (wind whooshing) (wind whooshing) (low raspy-voiced throat singing) (open-mouthed throat singing) (raspy voices) ♪ (low sustained voices; raspy throat singing) ♪ (low raspy-voiced throat singing) ♪ (open-mouthed throat singing) (raspy voices) (Evan and Manon stop) (high-pitch throat singing) (low percussive throat singing) ♪ (high-pitch throat singing) (low percussive throat singing) ♪ (Evan and Manon stop) (wind whooshing) (wind whooshing) (wind whooshing sounds) (soft wind sounds) (soft clapping) - Yay!

That film made me a little homesick.

- Yeah?

- Oh, yeah.

It looks like home.

All the fireweed and the landscapes and the snow.

- The tundra.

- The tundra.

- Oh!

- Yeah, it's beautiful.

And like, yeah.

The throat singers was-- It's a really cool thing.

They did it back in the day when the men went out to hunt and gather.

The woman, it was a way of entertainment.

- Hmm.

- Which is I think sort of cool.

- It's kind of also competitive.

I imagine it's like they're trying to tease the other one to either mess up or to laugh.

- Giggle.

- And, whatnot.

- Giggle, right.

- Yeah.

- So beautiful.

I love the way that it sounds.

So, this film was co-directed by the two women who are actually doing the throat singing, you know, Manon Chamberland and Eva Kaukai.

And, I remember when these two young Inuit girls came to Sundance and they spoke Inuit as their first language.

They also spoke French, and I think they also spoke English but I do know they had to have somebody with them who translated for us to have a conversation.

They were so sweet.

They were so endearing.

- Yeah.

Wide-eyed and bushy-tailed!

(Bird laughs) I hope they're still making films, though.

That'd be really cool to check up on.

- I do wonder about that, 'cause, you know, Wapikoni is known for going into different indigenous communities in Canada mostly, and teaching and collaborating for people who are interested in film.

And, we have shown some of their work previously.

But in one of those drone shots, like, when they were butchering on the side of the lake I was wondering.

I'm like, "Is that a caribou or is that a deer or a moose?"

- Well?

I think it could have been a caribou or a reindeer, but I'm pretty sure it was a caribou.

That's mostly what we get, like in Northern Alaska, Northern Canada.

- Okay.

- We get reindeer too, but it looked bigger like a caribou.

- Yeah.

- Now, I'm hungry!

- I know.

I love a good caribou burger.

Mmm!

- Mmm!

(both laugh) - Okay!

Well, I-- that was so much fun and I'm so happy we did this today and I think we're out of time.

- Yes, we are.

- But, we should probably, I guess, say our goodbyes!

- No.

Just sort of at this first episode, but we'll be back.

We have a whole new season.

- Yes.

Well, yes!

Next episodes are coming up.

- Yeah, they are.

- Yeah.

(Bird laughs) Thanks, Bird.

Bye, everyone!

- Bye!

(singing in indigenous language) - [Ariel] Today, I am wearing Desert Creek Designs, and Indigenous Couture.

- [Bird] And, I am wearing Honovi Designs, along with Aaron Broke Shoulder and Pat Pruitt Jewelry.

♪ - Gorgeous.

- Stunning.

♪ - [Announcer] This series was created in partnership with the Sundance Institute.

More information at sundance.org Funding for "Native Shorts" was made possible by a generous grant from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and from viewers like you.