I watched this exclusive screening in a packed movie theatre. Before it began, Jesse Zubot who provided soundtrack, did a chant about emotions to help the audience feel optimistic about the future. It also helped set the mood for the movie. It’s all about a person’s indigenous lifestyle. Ever since Saul Indian Horse was a boy, things went downhill for him all his life. His parents disappear, his grandmother dies, then he gets taken into a religious school which is very strict and rough. Saul spends most of his life in that school, but manages to find comfort in one priest named Father Gaston (Michiel Huisman) who builds an ice rink at the school and Saul learns hockey at a young age. When Saul is old enough to leave the school, he finds a new home somewhere else and join a hockey team. Despite being a good player, Saul learns that US residents are total racists who don’t appreciate his culture and he goes through more suffering long into adulthood.
This was a very edgy film to view. Some scenes are very disturbing and on the graphical side. Just viewing this can really give people a perspective of the craziness some indigenous people had to deal with in the 70s. Aside from graphical images, there’s also depressing and sad moments that make one really feel for Saul. Life wasn’t easy back then, and this shows a message that’s powerful: What was a big problem back then, is still a big problem today. And that would be the fact that not everyone is accepting enough in the world.
Check out Darren’s take on the film here
