Powwow People

Introduction with Director Sky Hopinka

Co-presented by Slash & the San Francisco Cinematheque!

Powwow People is co-presented on the occasion of Sonic Transmissions, a solo exhibition featuring the work of artist and filmmaker Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians), curated by Gina Basso at Slash, we are thrilled to invite you to a special afternoon screening of his latest feature-length documentary.

Powwow People is a vérité-style documentary grounded in the rhythms, relationships, and lived experience of a contemporary Native gathering. Rather than entering as outside observers, the filmmakers organized the powwow itself, inviting dancers, singers, vendors, and community members to participate in the making of this film. Structured around the arc of a single day, the film follows four central figures: Gina Bluebird, who frames the powwow’s shape and guides its setup; Ruben Littlehead, the MC whose presence anchors the present moment; Jamie John, a non-binary dancer imagining the future of these traditions; and Freddie Cozad, a singer and drummer who considers the past. The film culminates in a 30-minute unbroken shot of a Northern Traditional dance special, drawing the viewer into the textures, movement, and collective presence of the powwow. It is both a reflection of a beloved and complicated community and a gesture toward the continuities of Native life.

This event precedes An Evening with Sky Hopinka, a public program taking place at Slash. Details here.