Proctor Journal

A movie shot around the Fond du Lac reservation will get a public screening at the Proctor High School auditorium Sat., Apr. 18 at 7 p.m.

The highly acclaimed independent film, Older than America, is an uncompromising drama about Indian boarding schools. It tells the story of Rae, an Indian woman living on a Minnesota reservation.

Rae is played by Georgina Lightning. She also wrote, directed and produced Older than America. She will be in attendance to answer questions about the film.

The special screening is being brought to Proctor by REA3D (Rails Endowment for Academic, Arts and Athletic Development).

The drama won its 17th award Sun., Mar. 8. It was the coveted “Aloha Accolade” Award given for excellence in film making from the Honolulu International Film Festival. The film also won awards for best director and best supporting actor.

The film is about a woman’s haunting visions that reveal a Catholic priest’s sinister plot to silence her mother from speaking the truth about atrocities that occurred at a Native American boarding school.

It is a contemporary drama of suspense that was filmed in Carlton County. Older than America focuses on the lasting impact of the cultural genocide that occurred at such schools.

Older than America stars: Adam Beach (Flags of our Fathers, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Bradley Cooper (He’s Just Not That Into You, Wedding Crashers), Tantoo Cardinal (Smoke Signals, Mothers and Daughters), Georgina Lightning (Christmas in the Clouds, West Wing) and Wes Studi (Avatar, Call of the Wild).

For Lightning, the story is immensely personal.

"When I turned 18, my dad, an abusive alcoholic, hung himself," she said. "And that's when I was like, 'Oh. Wow! That's pretty extreme,' because I never thought that my Dad would do something like that."

Lightning wrestled with her own demons, and even attempted suicide. She began therapy, and tried to break her family's silence about her father. It led to a dramatic confrontation with her uncle.

"That's the first time I heard about the boarding school - that my Dad was raised in a boarding school," she said. "He was institutionalized from six to 18. It was extremely abusive there."

Indian boarding schools first appeared in the 1870's as a way to force assimilation of Indian children. Eventually there were hundreds of the schools in the U.S. and Canada. Many were run by religious orders.

Taking the children from their parents, the teachers forced them to speak English instead of their native languages. They banned traditional practices. Over the years, an estimated 100,000 children passed through these schools.

The last of the schools closed decades ago, but Georgina Lightning said the trauma they caused remains strong.

"Because I really believe that a lot of the dysfunction we have in Indian country is a direct result of the boarding school experience - a lot of the alcohol abuse, drug abuse - suicide is outrageous," Lightning said.

When the film was first viewed a year ago at the Walker Art Center it sold out. "Eight hundred and fifty people showed up in Cloquet to see it.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.