Reservation Redemption

NATIVE AMERICAN FILM SERIES
Followed bY A Q&A WITH filmmaker Brenda Fisher.

Please Note: Reservation Redemption will show in August in place of The Land Returns.

At 17, Chief Marchand Rice, a Colville tribe member, was one juror’s vote away from the death penalty. Convicted of murder, he was sentenced to life without parole. Angry, disconnected from his identity, and carrying the weight of generational trauma, Chief could not imagine a future beyond concrete walls.

Then Francis Cullooyah, a Kalispel tribal spiritual leader, asked Chief a simple, unexpected question: “Who do you want to be when you grow up?” That question sparked a decades-long journey of reconnecting with his Indigenous identity, transforming Chief from an angry teenager into a respected mentor and cultural leader within prison walls.

This documentary follows Chief’s nearly 40-year path toward redemption while examining the disproportionate incarceration of Native Americans and a justice system that often punishes trauma without addressing its roots. Featuring intimate interviews with tribal leaders, attorneys, and those impacted by Chief’s mentorship, the film is both a critique of the American justice system and a celebration of Indigenous traditions of healing, accountability, and restoration.

Now in it’s third year, the Native American Film Series at The Ross features free monthly screenings showcasing Native American films and television programs from the Vision Maker Media public broadcasting archives. Presented by The Ross Media Arts Center, Vision Maker Media, and Friends of The Ross.

Unless otherwise noted, screenings in this series will take place on the second Monday of each month and are admission free and open to the public. Tickets available at the Ross box office (online ticketing not available for free screenings).