Disappeared Native women, broken families, lost language, and forced assimilation mark the harsh history of settler colonialism in North America. The film industry has been complicit, presenting natives as belligerents against progress. But the ambiguity of societal progression is explored in Apple TV+'s "Fancy Dance," a film focusing on resistance and solidarity in Native communities, stressing the importance of familial bonds.
The narrative film is the debut of writer-director Erica Tremblay and co-writer Michiana Alise. Outstandingly led by Lily Gladstone, who recently made history with her Academy Award nomination for "Killers of the Flower Moon," Gladstone enacts Jax, a queer Cayuga woman living with her niece, Roki (played by Isabel Deroy-Olson), on an Oklahoma reservation. After Jax's sister and Roki's mother, Wadatawi, goes missing, Jax decides to become a guardian to her niece, a journey fraught with obstacles, including her criminal past and intervention by child protective services.
The script successfully shows Jax's dedication to her family and homeland, juxtaposing her hard exterior with intimate moments of affection and connection with her surroundings. But her commitment to protect those close to her is challenged when Roki is taken by her estranged grandfather, who deserted their community for a different life, and now threatens to sever Roki from her heritage.
The film appreciatively portrays Jax and her missing sister's lives without judgment. They had to work in difficult jobs to support their family and Roki. In a key sequence, Jax assures Roki that her missing mom will be at their tribe's annual Powwow, an assurance Jax is unsure she can fulfill-a poignant testament to their unbreakable bond and mutual care.
In their journey, Jax and Roki confront numerous hurdles, including threats from white men and a government apathetic to their plight. Regardless of these challenges, their familial bond exhibits a spiritual depth that transcends all difficulties. "Fancy Dance" stands as an expression of resistance against a harsh government thriving on cultural amnesia and assimilation.
Born from the need to remind viewers about the value of community solidarity, "Fancy Dance" is a stunning first offering from Tremblay, and it is something to watch out for.
