Bring Them Home / Aiskótáhkapiyaaya tells the story of a committed group of Blackfoot people and their mission to establish the first wild bison herd on their ancestral territory since the species' near-extinction a century ago. Through the process of rewilding, the tribe seeks to restore the land, re-enliven traditional culture, and bring much needed healing to their community.
A hundred and fifty years ago, the Blackfoot people witnessed the near-extinction of bison at the hands of western expansion. It was a deliberate act of colonial violence that nearly wiped out the tribe, as bison are one of the most important links to Blackfoot identity, culture, and spirituality. Since this near desolation, the Blackfoot Nation have endured a century-long campaign of oppression and persecution from the United States government — including broken treaties, forced assimilation through boarding schools, and land theft — a brutal and violent experience from which they are only now beginning to heal. Looking to right these historic wrongs, a dedicated group of Blackfoot people work to return the wild bison — an environmentally significant keystone species — to their lands, but their mission has been thwarted at every turn by cattle ranchers, internal politics, and the legacy of colonialism. If the opposition is successful, it would be a generational setback for the reinstatement of Blackfoot culture.
Charting the course of the struggle from past to present, Bring Them Home follows the community leaders who have given their lives and hearts to this struggle for the betterment of their people. From the near-annihilation of bison and the Blackfoot people to the origins of the effort to restore wild bison and the present-day threats to their work and culture, the film is a story of hope that takes an intimate look at the willpower and resilience required to survive and thrive in the face of near-continuous hostility, and preserve traditions for future generations.
"Bring Them Home highlights a crucial story of survival; of Iinnii, our Buffalo; of Blackfoot people and our culture; and of the very land which we call home. Like the Buffalo, our land does not acknowledge fences and nor does our changing climate... Being a part of this essential documentary is one of the most precious collaborations of my life, and I couldn't be more thrilled for the world to see this absolute labor of love come alive." — Lily Gladstone, Academy-Award nominated actress
"Highly recommended for high school and undergraduate courses... An excellent component of a variety of US history, sociology, cultural studies, political science, or even ecology/environment studies related courses... Powerful way to start conversations on the consequences of colonialism, maintaining cultural identity, or habitat restoration." — Educational Media Reviews Online
"At a time when our planet is on fire, it is critical that we recognize that the climate crisis started with colonialism and that Indigenous storytellers help us confront, acknowledge, and mourn what was lost, as well as to decolonize our imagination around climate solutions." — Favianna Rodriguez, President, Center for Cultural Power
"Groundbreaking... Bring Them Home shares more than just the incredible community effort to bring bison back. It imparts the crucial message that we are a part of nature, reminding us that we are not just the caretakers of wildlife, we are kin... This beautiful, thoughtfully-crafted documentary will undoubtedly make a positive impact on the restoration of wild bison, respect for Indigenous sovereignty, and advancement of cultural revitalization movements." — Ashley Sherburne, Communications and Engagement Specialist, Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance
"Lily Gladstone narrates the film, imbuing the story with her love for their people, the land, and the iinnii (buffalo)." — Tracy Rector, Seattle International Film Festival
"Bring Them Home is a cinematically breathtaking story of hope and healing." — Wild & Scenic Film Festival
"Stunning... Lovingly photographed, touchingly told, Bring Them Home is, above all, a story about hope, as all resurrection stories are." — Jim Gregory, SLO Review
"Authentically tells the story of the decades-long fight to bring back an integral piece of Blackfeet culture... As an audience member, it is hard not to feel moved by the visual momentum of buffalo stampeding as they make their way home across the reservation." — Braden Harper, MVSKOKE Media
Citation
Main credits
Glick, Daniel (film director)
Glick, Daniel (film producer)
Glick, Daniel (screenwriter)
MacDonald, Ivan (film director)
MacDonald, Ivan (film producer)
MacDonald, Ivan (screenwriter)
MacDonald, Ivy (film director)
Clarke, Sarah (film producer)
Gladstone, Lily (narrator)
Gladstone, Lily (film producer)
Other credits
Directors of photography, Zane Clampett, Kier Atherton, Daniel Glick; editor, Daniel Glick; music, Roger Suen.
