Over the last couple of years we’ve seen an exposion of Native American stories told on the big and small screen, with shows such as Reservation Games, Rutherford Falls, and moves such as Killers of the Flower Moon. Riley Keough might not be who one expects to make such a film, but with War Pony she and co-director Gina Gammell have already earned acclaim at Cannes for their efforts.
Half-sisters Keough and Gammell teamed up to co-director and co-write War Pony which tells the intertwining stories of Lakota boys on the reservation. The cast is led by Native American actors who aren’t household names today, but could be soon. Jojo Bapteise ,Ladainian Crazy Thunder, Jesse Schmockel, and Sprague Hollander star.
So how did this project even come about? Keough earned the trust and respect of the Lakota while shooting Andrea Arnold’s American Honey in South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and that’s how it all got started.
Here is the synopsis: WAR PONY follows the interlocking stories of two young Oglala Lakota men growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation. At 23, Bill just wants to make something of himself. Whether it’s delivering goods or breeding Poodles, he is determined to hustle his way to the “American Dream.” Meanwhile, 12-year-old Matho can’t wait to become a man. Desperate for approval from his young father, a series of impulsive decisions turns Matho’s life upside down, and he finds himself unequipped to deal with the harsh realities of the adult world. Bound by their shared search for belonging, each of the boys grapples with identity, family, and loss as they navigate their unique paths to manhood.
War Pony opens in theaters and VOD on July 28th.
