A grandmother. A source of existence. A portal to other worlds. For thousands of years, the Indigenous Peoples of what is now known as North and South Dakota co-existed reciprocally with the Missouri River, its waters offering life while also inspiring legends and languages. In Tahnaanooku’, filmmaker Justin Deegan takes an experimental approach to the severing of this relationship between his community — the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara — and the river, the result of over 80 years of US government efforts to control the Missouri, including via the Garrison Dam. Seen through the eyes of Deegan’s mother, Darline, Tahnaanooku’ intertwines past, present, and future, land and language, dreams and reality.

Director's Bio:

Justin Deegan is an enrolled member of MHA Nation, where Tahaanooku' was filmed. He identifies as Arikara, Oglala, and Hunkpapa. He is a cinematographer, photographer, and award-winning filmmaker. His work has screened at numerous festivals across Turtle Island, including Sundance, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Lumbee Film Festival, LA Skinsfest, the Phoenix Film Festival, and NatiVisions. Deegan’s work has shown on HBO, NBC, PBS, and the VICE Network, and has been featured in numerous publications, including Indian Country Today and Native News Online.