Say Her Name
Video work stages
Say Her Name
Say Her Name" is a powerful feature documentary shedding light on the harrowing reality of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) in Bighorn County, Montana. With fewer than 14,000 residents, this small community bears the staggering burden of having the highest per capita rates of MMIW cases in the United States. Unlike the fictionalized portrayals often seen in mainstream media, "Say Her Name" delves deep into the heart of this crisis, exposing the devastating consequences of the intersection between the methamphetamine trade and human trafficking, which thrive under the cloak of organized crime.
Video Production
At its core, the documentary poses a crucial question: is it incompetence or corruption that lies at the heart of the regional law enforcement's reluctance and inefficiency in addressing these crimes? Through the lens of real-life tragedies, such as the case of Kaysera Stops Pretty Places, a Crow/Northern Cheyenne teenager whose story epitomizes the urgent need for justice, "Say Her Name" paints a haunting portrait of a community crying out for accountability and action.
Video Post-production
The statistics are alarming; in 2020 alone, 5,600 Native American women were reported missing, surpassing the total number of U.S. fatalities in the entire Iraq War. As the documentary premieres during Native News Online's MMIW forum on MMIW Awareness Day, May 5, the call for justice resonates louder than ever. With Secretary Haaland scheduled to contribute to the forum, "Say Her Name" serves as a rallying cry for change and solidarity.
Video Delivery
Say Her Name" was helmed by director Rain, whose vision and dedication to the project infused every frame with depth and meaning. Under Rain's guidance, the production team embarked on a 10-day journey across the state of Montana, capturing the raw beauty and stark realities of the landscape. Filmed by Emmy award-winning director of photography Anthony Stengel and edited by Stengel himself, the documentary employed a range of cinematic techniques, from intimate interviews to sweeping drone shots, to immerse viewers in the heart-wrenching stories of the MMIW crisis. With Rain's leadership, the film emerges as a powerful testament to the resilience of Indigenous communities and a call to action for justice and accountability.
