Five Native Films and Shows You Should Be Streaming in 2020

Two thousand nineteen was a watershed year for Native actors and filmmakers. Their work not only captured the attention of festival producers but was also featured in mainstream productions. Veteran actor Graham Greene (Oneida) played roles on the CW’s Riverdale and Amazon’s Goliath, while Adam Beach (Saulteaux) was featured on the CW’s Nancy Drew and Netflix’s Juanita. After decades of Natives working with little household recognition, the fertile fields of streaming services have sown work that is genre-spanning and lauded by critics and fans alike. Now is the perfect time to tune-in for some mesmerizing Native-driven work. It’s an honor to share some of my favorites in this fifth installment of the annual must-stream list.

1. Basketball or Nothing
   This engrossing Netflix docuseries follows the Chinle High School’s venerated boys basketball team’s attempt to capture their first state title. Led by coach Raul Mendoza, the Wildcats strive to develop into a cohesive team that brings pride to their Navajo community. The gameplay is expectedly compelling, but the series’ deep dives into past motivations and future aspirations of its characters solidifies why the Wildcat Den is a special place. It’s impossible not to be caught-up in this story of hope and persistence, be it when they’re launching a buzzer-beating shot or traveling to a transfer station to fill containers of water for their homes. Regardless of what one feels about Arizona basketball, this series makes Wildcat fans of us all.
2. Merata: How Mum Decolonized the Screen
   Merata Mita (Maori) became a trailblazing filmmaker to combat the dearth of her peoples’ stories on the silver screen. Her documentaries about Indigenous causes drew the ire of the status quo and the accolades of her fellow filmmakers, thrusting her work onto the international stage and enabling her to serve as literal and figurative mentor to some of the most exciting directors working today. Upon her passing in 2010, her sixth and youngest child Heperi combed through Merata’s archival footage, illuminating the cathartic layers behind her drive to shatter White patriarchy and share her peoples’ perspective with the masses. Merata did first what few have done better, a fact captured in this career-spanning, humanizing filmography.
3. Indian Horse
   Based upon Richard Wagamese’s (Ojibwe) novel of the same name, this film tells the story of a First Nations’ Native boarding school resident-turned-hockey phenome, Saul Indian Horse. Throughout each phase of his life, Saul is met with racism and hardship, yet he finds the means to persist. The journey leads him to a loving foster care family, numerous accolades, a chance to confront the demons of his upbringing, and the opportunity to grab hold of what he comes to define as most important to him. The film is unflinching in its depictions of twentieth century racism, and the cast drives home the reality that the scars of trauma never lie far beneath the surface.
4. N. Scott Momaday: Words from a Bear
   In 1969, writer N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa) changed American letters forever when A House Made of Dawn became the first Native-written novel to win the Pulitzer Prize. Through interviews, archival footage, and animation this film celebrates the storytelling powers of the man who singlehandedly launched the genre we now know as American Indian literature. Behind his booming voice and wry smile lies generations of his ancestors, whose memory he honors through word craft, a fact made clear in his body of work. This film is more than a testament to Momaday’s lifetime of literary achievement, it’s a reminder of why his words continue to resonate with new generations.
5. See
   Jason Momoa (Hawaiian) stars in this series about a dystopian future where a virus has caused the human race to lose its sight. The survivors have devolved socially, as they are forced to rely on their remaining senses. That is until a set of twins are born with sight. The show is a mixture of action sequences, plot twists, and breathtaking cinematography that quickly spans decades, allowing Momoa to channel both the brooding disposition and thrilling dexterity that’s made him an action star. Intended for mature audiences, this show was part of the initial lineup on Apple TV’s new streaming service. The first season is worth the price of admission, setting the stage for a story arc rich in minable plotlines.      

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The Native films and shows streaming today reflect an artistic landscape rich in perspectives and genres. Every year brings new stories to the large and small screens, and Indigenous actors and filmmakers are thriving in this new cinematic reality. While 2019 was a powerful year for Native filmmaking, I’m certain that the best is yet to come. In the meantime, enjoy the titles listed in this column. Collectively, they’ll enrich your new year.    

Ryan Winn teaches in the Liberal Studies Department at College of Menominee Nation.  

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the Inquisitive Academic or any other opinion columns published by the Tribal College Journal (TCJ) do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TCJ or the American Indian Higher Education Consortium.