Incidente a Oglala

Easily one of the finest American documentaries ever, INCIDENT AT OGLALA is also something of a companion to Peter Matthiessen's exhaustive and controversial book 'In The Spirit Of Crazy Horse.' Complementing each other perfectly, they both relate the details surrounding the trial and imprisonment of Leonard Peltier.

Beginning with depictions of the appalling social conditions on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, the film builds through depictions of the stand-offs and confrontations on the res between AIM members (American Indian Movement) and authorities both local and federal. If nothing else, INCIDENT AT OGLALA underscores the harsh truism that there's plenty of nasty injustice to be found in the US, and that fairness can be an elusive and nebulous concept with distressing regularity.

See this film (and also director Michael Apted's excellent follow-up, MOVING THE MOUNTAIN).

After seeing this film it is unbelievable that Leonard Peltier is still in prison. How is it possible that this is possible nowadays. See this film and let it open your eyes and then do something about it.

FREE LEONARD PELTIER!!!!

Ries "A Dutchman in Ireland"

Incident at Oglala (1992)

*** (out of 4)

Documentary about the June 26, 1975 shooting at the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in Oglala, South Dakota where two FBI agents chased a truck onto the property and minutes later they were shot dead. Two people were found not guilty but a third, Leonard Peltier, was found guilty and sentenced to prison but much evidence shows that he wasn't the man pulling the trigger. I had never really heard of this case, although Apted's THUNDERHEART is loosely based around the events here and my main reason for watching this was because of the director as well as narrator/producer Robert Redford. I think those already familiar with the case are going to be the ones who really benefit from this film. As someone not overly familiar with it, I found the documentary to try and show every side of the debate and quite often the stories got mixed together and were rather hard to follow. This hard to follow stuff is perhaps due to the actual case, which seemed to be all over the place in terms of what really happened. Every witness seems to be telling a different story and many of them have changed their stories over the years. The evidence showing that Peltier is pretty interesting but at the same time you have those who are dead certain that he was guilty. The film clearly wants to show him as an innocent victim but I guess it will always be a mystery as that what really happened and in what ordered the events occurred. Director Apted does a very good job at getting many of the original people together for this, including Peltier, who is still in prison.

Solid, interesting, if slightly dry documentary about a shootout on a Sioux reservation that killed two FBI agents and the government's attempts to blame someone for the crimes, finally railroading Leonard Peltier, using a lot of clearly falsified evidence.

Just as interesting as the trial itself is the examination of the deep political and philosophical split between the 'modern', more white-world assimilated Native Americans, who worked hand in hand with the US government, versus the American Indian Movement (AIM) who were fighting to protect and keep alive Native American heritage -- the conflict leading to a reign of terror by the modern Native American tribe leader.

There is one key element, the mysterious 'Mister X' who supposedly actually confessed to the killings that's awkwardly and strangely under-explored.

In all, this feels like a good episode of PBS's great 'Frontline' series, which - for me- is actually pretty high praise.

When I first saw this film, I was not terribly informed re the Peltier case. As soon as the credits rolled, I knew that I would have to own this film, if only so that I could lend it to everyone I knew. As I had known would happen, each new person I showed it to became angry and incredulous: how can Leonard Peltier still be in prison? The snow job this soft-spoken, good-humored Ojibwa was given by the U.S. government makes me feel ashamed to be an American. It becomes painfully clear that the FBI popped Leonard because they needed to pop an American Indian, preferably an AIM Indian - and Leonard was there. But if you ask me, no justice has even been done for the 2 dead FBI agents Peltier's conviction was intended to avenge; jailing the wrong man - KNOWING he is the wrong man - is far worse, I feel, than not jailing anyone at all. I think Coler and Williams are still waiting for their killer(s) to be brought to justice; by the same token, Leonard Peltier's supporters are still awaiting justice for Leonard himself. This film clearly shows the mockery made by the U.S. government of its own judicial system; any self-respecting American - of any ethnic background - should cringe at some of the statements made, freely and willfully, by government staff and spokespeople in this film. I hope they all watched this, and could see just how ignorant, unconscionable, and utterly hateful they sounded, with no regard whatsoever for true justice. The bottom line? Watch this film. Then show it to everyone you love. If we continue to raise awareness, then maybe someday, Leonard will find justice - and peace.

FREE LEONARD!!!