The Business of Fancy Dancing Trailer

Sometimes the movie experience is more than just the movie. I'm a huge fan of Sherman Alexie, the Indian writer [poetry and novels.] He also wrote the screenplay for the excellent film SMOKE SIGNALS, and went on to write and direct this in 2002.

I rewatched it last night with the commentary by Alexie and lead actor Evan Adams [who played Thomas Builds-the-Fire in SMOKE SIGNALS.] When I first saw the movie on TV years ago I didn't like it so much, it seemed to ramble and seemed short on material even though it was over 100 minutes long. The commentary helped me appreciate it more [and was also very funny...Alexie is a hilarious speaker.] Alexie regards it as an unfinished film that succeeds in some places but not in others.

Indian movies that are actually created by Indians are hard to find---movies that portray Indians realistically are almost as scarce. SKINS is another good one.

Full disclosure: I'm somewhere between 5/16 and not quite a half Indian, from two different tribes. I identify as such even though I am not "obviously Indian." I'm from the paler part of the family, I have a lot of other family members who are pretty dark. I'm originally from a community that is majority Indian. Indians are obsessed with credentials, especially mixed bloods like myself.