WAR PONY
Stunning, tender and utterly compelling, WAR PONY tells the interlocking stories of two Oglala Lakota men coming of age on the Pine Ridge Reservation. ** Showing with the short film LOST BIRD.
SYNOPSIS
Stunning, tender and utterly compelling, WAR PONY tells the interlocking stories of two Oglala Lakota men coming of age on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
At 23, Bill (Jojo Bapteise Whiting) just wants to make something of himself. Whether it’s syphoning gas, delivering goods or breeding Poodles, he is determined to carve his way to the “American Dream”. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Matho (LaDainian Crazy Thunder) can’t wait to become a man. Desperate for approval from his young, unavailable father, a series of destructive decisions turns Matho’s life upside down and he finds himself unequipped to deal with the harsh realities of the adult world.
A powerful tale of life, hope and belonging on the Reservation. Featuring spellbinding performances from first-time actors Jojo Bapteise Whiting and LaDainian Crazy Thunder, and created over a period of several years, in collaboration with members of the Pine Ridge Reservation.
WAR PONY is the directorial debut of Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & The Six, Zola) and Gina Gammell, and written with first-time writers, Franklin Sioux Bob and Bill Reddy.
LOST BIRD (Zintkála Nuni)
The short film LOST BIRD will show before screenings of WAR PONY.
A tale of “found & lost” reveals the troubled life of a Lakota baby who survived the 1890 Massacre at Wounded Knee, only to struggle with identity and acceptance in white high-society circles, along with the loss of her own people, culture and heritage.
Told in a montage of animated Ledger Art, vintage silent movie clips and historic photographs, to an original song by Brad Colerick. Animontage, image curation and editing by Scott Feldmann. (6 minutes)
Director
Riley Keough, Gina Gammell
WITH
Jojo Bapteise Whiting, LaDainian Crazy Thunder
Run Time
LOST BIRD: 6 minutes
WAR PONY: 1 hour, 55 minutes
Released
July 28, 2023
Distributed by
Momentum
HEARING AND VISUAL ASSISTANCE
Assisted Listening
Closed Captioning
Country
United States
SUBTITLES
None
RATED R
for drug and alcohol use involving minors throughout, pervasive language and some violence
SHOWINGS
SEPT 8 | FRI
7:30 p.m.
SEPT 9 | SAT
11:50 a.m., 2:20, 4:50, 7:20 p.m.
SEPT 10 | SUN
11:50 a.m., 2:20, 4:50, 7:20 p.m.
SEPT 11 | MON
4:50, 7:20 p.m.
SEPT 12 | TUE
4:50, 7:20 p.m.
SEPT 13 | WED
4:50, 7:20 p.m.
SEPT 14 | THU
4:50, 7:20 p.m.
SEPT 15 | FRI
4:40, 7:05, 9:30 p.m.
SEPT 16 | SAT
11:50 a.m., 2:15, 4:40, 7:05, 9:30 p.m.
SEPT 17 | SUN
11:50 a.m., 2:15, 4:40, 7:05 p.m.
SEPT 18 | MON
4:40, 7:05 p.m.
SEPT 19 | TUE
4:40, 7:05 p.m.
SEPT 20 | WED
4:40, 7:05 p.m.
SEPT 21 | THU
4:40, 7:05 p.m.
REVIEWS
“The non-professional cast, drawn from the community in which these interlocking, quasi-mythic tales of manhood in the making are set, is rooted, real and persuasive.”
“It has every right to be a furious tragedy. Instead, it’s a slacker comedy that swaps punchlines for laid-back, lived-in absurdities. The jokes land so feather-light you’re not sure if you should laugh.”
“A moving experiment in collective narrative filmmaking — an example of how stories can honor instead of exploit.”