Wind River

Rating: 9/10 (9 September 2017)

Wind River, is a film that certainly packs an emotional wallop and punch to the gut and will be sure to linger with you quite awhile after you have seen it. This is accomplished not just simply because this is a film and filmmaker in total control of their craft and just filling the project with emotionally rich and well developed characters, a haunting yet beautiful musical score and also a sense of tension as well as dealing with the grief and the hurdles that these characters have to go through as well as incorporating a message that because of it's resonance and truth now more than ever is sure to connect with many people who look at the news on a daily basis and know just generally about the true subject matter of this film. By divulging this I am not giving any spoilers away for this film, but it is indeed based on true events about a murder and rape outside of a Native American community to a young Native American woman. The film takes place and I assumed that actual events also took place in Wyoming, but as a Canadian who has never been to Wyoming, I can certainly tell you that missing and murdered Aboriginal women is nothing new in Canada and has dominated and been a big part of the news over the years and sadly decades even. The last federal election we had here in Canada, this was an issue that was brought up by the opposition parties against then prime minister Stephen Harper, who with his Conservative party seemed a little chilly if not downright cold on the matter where there was little to no follow up, or investigations to these murders and missing girls across our country. While, I generally do not consider myself to be a member, or fan of the Liberal party which is currently in power under Justin Trudeau, I do hope however that they follow up with their initial persistence during rounds of parliamentary question periods and look into these deaths and murders with not only more resources, but also funding and the proper authorities to follow through with it. Are these a case of outright racism against these girls, or are there more underlying problems that may have to do with it? Here in Canada as well as depicted in the state of Wyoming, here in this film, it shows the true and yet sad state of how society in many ways has failed it's Native population. I am not sure how publicized it was at the time, but these days you can find much information about the residential schools that these young Natives were sent to several decades ago and how these schools affected them severely psychologically and perhaps in many other damaging ways as well. I know that within the Aboriginal communities alcohol and drug abuse can be a major problem and I say this because as depicted with some of the characters in this film, I think a lot of these individuals have not only been discriminated against within their own communities, but also by the governments who have sworn to protect them and this unfortunately has led to communities and areas that are supposed to be well funded and taken care of, but instead there has been cases of corrupt leaders who are stealing money away from their own people not to benefit others, but instead to lavish themselves with yearly bonuses and fancy living. The homes were these people are living are often run down and dilapidated and are in no means safe to call proper homes, or should even pass the health bill for safe living. I feel that these individuals often feel like there is no hope for them and often society has shunned against them which has caused them to turn to suicide and other means of abuse to one's self including high volumes of not only suicide, but also of alcohol, drug use and in many cases it is no wonder that these poor people can not survive on anything less than their monthly welfare checks. Hopefully soon the governments both here in Canada and over in America, will realize what a national problem will be and already is and I hope they will be swift to act and actually accomplish something to greatly benefit these people. The film also deals with the subject of grief and loss which is something that I think any audience member who sees this film can agree with. It shows that time may go by, but these wounds are internal and we may come around eventually to accepting certain things, but we will always have that deep loss and void that perhaps only true healing can fix. This is a powerful film fuelled by a passionate and yet moving screenplay and anchored by terrific performances and direction. This is certainly a film to see and also talk about after and perhaps get involved, maybe even within your own community because this is a problem that needs to be addressed and ignoring it any longer will just escalate things to an even greater tipping point.