“Imprint” Redefines Native Women in Film
December 30th, 2006 by Carole LevineChris Eyre’s latest production, Imprint, is not an “Indian” movie.
Yes, it does take place on a reservation and includes Native cultural and religious references. Yes, it does have Indians playing Indians and the conflicts facing contemporary Natives. It has all those things. But Imprint is not an “Indian” movie. At least, not by conventional thinking. And that’s to Eyre’s and director Michael Linn’s credit, as they have redefined what we’ve come to expect of a film depicting Native America and in this case, women in Native America.
Starring Tonantzin Carmelo, the film is a suspense thriller in the Hitchcock mold—otherworldly forces, evil in disguise, and regret leading to redemption. Most significantly, Imprint’s biggest imprint is its portrayal of women; neither victims nor backdrops, they are the force and soul of the entire story.
Yet, while conveying a women’s perspective, the plot never succumbs to becoming a “chick flick.” The film opens in a Denver courtroom with prosecuting attorney Shayla Stonefeather’s (Carmelo) successful murder conviction of a Lakota boy from Pine Ridge—her childhood home. Emotionally wrung by the high-profile trial, she escapes by going back to the reservation to visit her mother and dying father.
Carmelo is smartly cast as the earnest young woman driven to succeed only to begin questioning the price of her quest. She’s determined, she’s attractive, and the girl takes crap from nobody—nobody, that is, except her smarmy white boyfriend (Cory Brusseau) whose bald ambition is his eventual undoing. Impressively, Carmelo appears in every frame in the film. This is Shayla’s story; with Lakota mysticism providing the dramatic hook.
If home is where the heart is, then Shayla’s heart needs resuscitation. Her dad is withering before her eyes; the folks she grew up with have spray-painted her car with the word “apple,” an epithet describing Natives who’ve morphed into whiteness at the expense of their own identity. Even her mother (Carla-Rae Holland) is questioning her loyalties. “What happened,” she asks, “to the little girl that wanted to come back and help her people?”
Holland and Carmelo seamlessly coalesce as mom and daughter. Both actresses comfortably use body language—head nods, gestures, knowing glances—creating a distinct non-verbal dialect all families have. It works. And it’s the scenes between these two, more than the hair-raising arc, which lift the plot from a pedestrian thriller to a thoughtful drama.
Of course, we can't forget the men. Considering Eyre and the writing team of Linn and Keith Davenport are all males, it’s curious how they depict their fellow fellows. Imprint’s males are a sorry bunch indeed—a killer, sad sack, side kick, victim, and loser. Take your pick.
Michael Spears, as Tom, is the studly reservation cop who Shayla discarded when she followed the bright lights to the big city. His stalwart character is relegated to the background; but honestly you won’t care all that much. Clearly, Tom is no match for her spirited, independent nature. Worse is Shayla’s boyfriend Jonathan. He’s a self-serving, yuppie jerk—albeit too predictably so. How much more interesting if his character was something other than the stereotypical white politico; maybe African American, Latino, or even Native. Now that would challenge our perceptions of a self-serving, yuppie jerk!
Despite these few shortcomings, Imprint succeeds. Shayla eventually finds her way back, spiritually and literally; providing a kind word and sandwich for the beggar she would have stepped over only weeks before. Her mother defines perseverance; her wayward brother, played by Tokala Clifford, is seen only in glimpses. Nevertheless, all three are people you wouldn’t mind getting to know better. The film calls for a sequel, even a series—Carmelo’s heroine would be a refreshing antidote to the vacuous Barbie doll celebrities girls have as contemporary role models.
Imprint stamps an indelible new mark. Because this film, above all else, is for the girls. Thanks to a couple of guys—Chris Eyre and Michael Linn—who appreciate that there’s a lot more to women of any ethnicity than being relegated to a “chick flick.”
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Imprint will be premiered at film festivals starting in early 2007. For more information, please visit the film’s official site at: www.imprintmovie.com
Wow! This is really well written Carole. Excellent review and observations. Also it is uncanny how great mainds almost think alike. I just wrote a feminist crtitque of this film and have submitted it for publishing in a few journals and magazines (other than NAICA).
But it is an Indian film LOL…..teehee.
Comment by Missy Editor — December 31, 2006 @ 3:00 pm
Interesting that it’s yet another Lakota-based story. Does any filmmaker, including a Cheyenne/Arapaho like Chris Eyre, realize that the "Sioux" tribal group is only the fourth largest?
If anyone’s wondering, the first three are Cherokee, Navajo, and Chippewa. Fifth through tenth are Choctaw, Pueblo, Apache, Iroquois, Lumbee, and Creek. When was the last time you saw a Chippewa or Choctaw movie…never?
Comment by robschmidt — December 31, 2006 @ 3:03 pm
Rob,
I did ask why, once again, a feature film is set on Pine Ridge. Michael Linn’s answer was that, well he lives next door so he is familiar with the community, and they had a limited budget, and he felt it would be wise to write the story from a very different perspective and film it in a way that doesn’t add to the commonheld belief that the community is unilaterally impoverished. The family in this film is middle class. Poverty within the community is alluded to in that the mother is characterized (by her daughter) as a bleeding heart to the detriment (or rather, perceived detriment) of her family. It is well-done, those tensions between the haves (who do not have as much as say white middle class South dakotans) and have-nots in the community.
I think this film goes a long way toward dispelling stereotypes about Lakotas living in Pine Ridge. It certainly shows us a side we have NEVER seen in film regarding the people. So, though I agree it’s about time non-Natives who decide to make films about Indians stop leaning on the ole go-to tribe that is the Lakota branch out, I also think this film is well balanced if not a smidge cliched in certain areas. But only a smidge.
By the way, Chris Eyre got a little snarky when I declared Pine Ridge has been negatively stereotyped as an impoverished dump since so many films have been made on and "about" the reservation. He argued strenuously but at the end of the day Lakota and their sad past and even sadder present have been depicted in more films, made for tv and otherwise, than any recent tribe. That’s if we do not include the Apache/Comanche warriors of the Westerns of yore. By the way, I do not think Pine Ridge is a sad place. Under-developed, yes. Sad, no.
(I have not been to Pine Ridge but I have my sources)
Comment by Missy Editor — December 31, 2006 @ 4:30 pm
Very well said Carole and Missy. I whole-heartedly agree that it is so nice to not see women in these types of situations be victims, but rather strong, smart, and can take care of themselves. Seriously, how many times have we seen a woman running away and tripping in her high-heeled shoes giving the attacker the perfect chance.
Tonantzin Carmelo (Into the West) is just amazingly talented and beautiful. Her facial expressions and actions are just so strong that you really are along with her on this ride. I just can’t help but think that from a technical standpoint, she was reacting so strongly to stuff that isn’t even there while filming. And she does it over and over again and never makes it look like acting. This woman should be in way more stuff!!
Certainly a good one that you have see. I know I’m biased, but it’s true. About halfway through, you think you have the movie figured out, but this has such a twist ending that I really don’t see how anyone could guess the ending. It’s a great twist at the end. I was standing there yelling "Holy …., holy …., holy ……" I called Chris and told him about that. I left a message on his cell because it was really late and I didn’t want to wake his family up. That had to be one of the craziest sounding voice mails ever.
The chemistry between Carla-Rae Holland and Tonantzin Carmelo is great. Very convincing. The looks they give each other speaks of an understanding between them in their relationship. Even with the father, you could see this bond between all three of them when they are together; Shayla feeding her father, her mother standing there watching her child trying to nurture her father, and those moments when he was drawing and she was holding his arm to help him steady his hand. If looks could kill, the look her father gave the boyfriend when they were sitting around the drum, her boyfriend would have been dead ten times over. It was especially good because throughout almost all of the rest of time, he was half-way to a vegetable state, so seeing this come out of him all of a sudden was surprising,
I don’t think that this portrays Indians or Pine Ridge in a negative way at all. I’m not seeing any way it even looks like that. There is a beggar outside the store, but hey, I live in a major city and I can go 1 block and see that same thing.
This movie throws a lot of curve balls and keeps you guessing. There are moments when you start to think it might be a stereotype thing, but then something else happens and you are right back to not having a clue about what all of it means. I still can’t believe this won’t be at Sundance this month. It’s almost a crime.
Comment by tammara — January 2, 2007 @ 6:42 am