Incidente em Oglala

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.

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).

It's unbelievable that Leonard Peltier remains sitting in prison to this very day. A classic example of extreme oppression and injustice dealt out by the federal government. Though this film was originally released in 1992, it's no less riveting today. The documentary makes its case clearly and logically, unraveling the intricate details like a thriller. This film is not slick--and that is precisely its strength. Without using cheap visual gimmicks, it relies on the power of story and truth.

Few documentaries can match the intense content of this story. Every American needs to see this film to realize exactly what's happening in this country. The war waged against native people continues from centuries ago. You'll also see how this injustice was only a warm-up for the current Green Scare campaign against political activists and ordinary citizens defending earth from destruction. Learn more about the Green Scare in articles by journalists Dean Kuipers and Will Potter.

Leonard Peltier is still in prison to date for a crime he didn't commit. He was railroaded with government lies and used as a scapegoat. Injustice still reigns in America. See how the FBI fabricated evidence and coerced and strong armed people during the trial. This movie shows how the US Government can bend justice to suit them at any time. If you sit in your safe warm homes without empathy for the Native American people then you are the problem. Not part of the problem but all of the problem. People need to get involved and stand up against such tyranny and make it into a true democracy. For the people, for all the people and not just the rich white powers that be.

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"