Powwow People
Sky Hopinka / United States / 2025 / 88 min
From dawn to dusk, filmmaker Sky Hopinka depicts a powwow where Native Americans gather to celebrate their community and shared history.
Many indigenous peoples in North America have a ceremonial gathering place. Every year, they meet for a powwow – a celebration of shared identity through dance, song and drums. Artist and filmmaker Sky Hopinka, himself a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, captures the deep sense of community in a film that follows the day from morning to evening.
The camera moves imperceptibly among the participants. We are immersed in the preparations as dancers, singers and drummers get ready to step into the circle. The highlight comes in the moonlight, when the dancers in colourful clothes and feathered headdresses move into the arena to compete. ‘Powwow People’ is a sensory invitation to experience this proud tradition from the inside, tied together by the deep voice of master of ceremonies Ruben Little Head. Hopinkas’ film has been hailed as one of the major cinematic events of the year by both film and art critics.