Friday, November 20, 2015

Why We Produced This Documentary



There is a thread that connects a child to their culture,
to their sense of self, home and belonging.
When that thread is broken or missing, the individual and the culture suffer.
Can the thread be mended? Can connection be restored?

A culture will die without its children. Yet the removal of Native American children from their homes and families has occurred at the alarming rate of 25% of all children. Many Indian families have experienced the loss of children to non-tribal homes, even when a relative or other tribal member was willing and able to provide a safe, stable and loving home for the child.  This has happened in Wisconsin despite the existence of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act.

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), signed into law in 1978, is one of the most litigated federal Indian laws of the past 35 years, and arguably the most important in the lives of Native people and communities. It has unfortunately been misunderstood, misapplied and too often completely ignored. That history has led several states to pass into law their own versions of ICWA in one form or another. 

In 2005 Wisconsin was found to be in noncompliance with ICWA. Statistics and common knowledge indicated persistent and systemic problems with implementing the federal law. All 11 Wisconsin tribes agreed that something needed to change. In 2008 a remarkable state coalition formed to develop and promote the Wisconsin Indian Child Welfare Act (WICWA). This coalition was comprised of tribal attorneys, tribal social services directors, Indian rights advocates and representatives from the state, primarily from what is now the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). What made this coalition remarkable was the tenacity and commitment stretched continuously over a period of nearly four years in pursuing this dream. For many it was the most sustained and cogent collaboration of tribal and state energies they have ever participated in.

There were obstacles to overcome, some anticipated (private adoption attorneys) and some not (Children and the Law Section of the Wisconsin State Bar). There were numerous competing interests to reconcile or overcome. Ambiguities in the ICWA were addressed by fortifying the language in the WICWA to clarify those problem clauses in a pro-Indian way consistent with the spirit and intent of the original ICWA. Going that extra mile had the effect of increasing the adversarial obstacles to enactment. The 11 Wisconsin tribes and the state government stood together and persevered, and these issues were met and addressed finally in a long and moving state legislative Hearing that was filmed (footage available through Wisconsin Eye). WICWA passed unanimously – a rare feat - in October of 2009 and resulted in what is arguably the strongest state enactment of ICWA anywhere in the country. This is a story of hard work and success, and ultimately, “the preservation of a culture’s future, not just its past.” (Senator Bob Jauch, sponsor of the bill.)

Telling the story of the law’s creation and eventual enactment, interwoven with first-hand accounts from individuals directly affected by outplacement, provides both macro and the micro views and makes the topic accessible to viewers of all different backgrounds.


PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Work began on this documentary project in December of 2012 with informal meetings, fact gathering, and identification of key interview subjects and archival images. In August of 2013, the production team received funding from the Midwest Child Welfare Implementation Center (MCWIC), based in Lincoln, Nebraska, and completed the first phase of the project which focused specifically on the creation of the Wisconsin Indian Child Welfare Act. To meet the deadline for the MCWIC funding, we had only eight weeks from filming the first interview to the final edit. This first phase included interviews with Loa Porter, Jean-Ann Day, Mary Husby, Kris Goodwill, Mark Mitchell, Dennis Puzz and Senator Bob Jauch. (That film, Wisconsin Indian Child Welfare Act: Legacy Legislation earned an award from the Media Communications Association – International for outstanding work in short documentary. Click here to view the video from Phase 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS8WkekywV8)  

We recently completed phase two which involved delving deeper into the personal stories of a Loa Porter (Ho-Chunk) and a Eugene White-fish (Forest County Potawatomi). Both were removed from their families as children and placed in non-Native foster homes. They share their experiences of being the only Indian child in class, the persistent feeling of "otherness” and the sense of loss from not having lived in their Native cultures as a children. How did they reconnect with their tribes? Have there been challenges? Did it make a difference with their children and grandchildren? Did the connections bring sadness or joy? Can the broken thread of family and native culture be mended? These are some of the points we explored.

The final 57 minute film tells the story of the reason why the Indian Child Welfare Act was codified into Wisconsin state law as the Wisconsin Indian Child Welfare Act, how it was drafted, enacted and implemented. The two personal stories run counterpoint as real examples of the need for such a meticulous and time intensive action.

The film will be used to educate the general public, and to train attorneys, court officials, social workers and others who work with Native children.
   


“The child is everything. They’re the gift from the creator. They are life.
They are the ones who are going to sustain the tribe.”
Loa Porter, Ho Chunk Nation

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Our Production Team

Funders: Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, Ho-Chunk Nation, Oneida Nation and Midwest Child Welfare Implementation Center

Producer/Director/Writer/Project Lead: Susan Reetz
Susan has over 20 years experience producing film and video. While she does quite a bit of work in the corporate world, her heart really belongs to documentary and other social issue projects. Her work has earned state, national and international recognition, but it is the satisfaction of being part of a great team and working together to make a difference that makes her smile. You can view more of her work at her Reyetr channel on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSyVF06NlpLZXVYAfhTg-Sg. www.RucinskiReetz.com

Consultant: James Botsford
James was the impetus for this project. He had just retired from his 20 year stint as director of the Wisconsin Judicare Indian Law Center when I bumped into him and we began talking about various documentary ideas. This is the one that stuck. James was not only knowledgeable about the topic but also instrumental with connecting us to the appropriate people and in many cases, funding sources. We couldn't have done it without him.

Producer/Director/Videographer: Michelle Danforth
Michelle is an award winning producer and joined Susan and James in the early stages of the project. Michelle has a great eye for set design and is incredibly charming and friendly. She works in marketing for the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin and has also produced several documentary projects. Her most recent project prior to Missing Threads focused on the game of Lacrosse. Michelle produced, directed and edited that film, titled Sacred Stick. It can be seen at Vision Maker Media http://www.visionmakermedia.org/films/sacred-stick.

Cinematographer/Lighting: Brian Alberth
Brian, owner of Left Effect Media, brings his adventurous spirit to the production world, and is the master of a wide array of gear and techniques. He has also taught production at a Madison college and is sought after on crews of all sizes. He works on a wide variety of projects ranging from compelling documentaries to corporate productions to high end ads. Brian is incredibly creative and collaborative, a true pleasure to work with. http://www.lefteffect.com/

Editor/Motion Graphics/Videographer: Colleen Parquette
Colleen, owner of Shadow Collaborative, is a highly skilled and imaginative videographer and editor. Her motion graphic skills also rock! Always ready with top notch creative ideas she is the epitome of a team player. Colleen's broad range of experience and massive technical knowledge - not to mention patience - are a huge asset to any project. Be sure to look her up on LinkedIn.

Fiscal Agent: Film Green Bay
The mission of Film Green Bay is to provide a rich cultural and educational experience for our community and visitors while promoting Green Bay as a hub for filmmaking and film appreciation.