Browse films

Braids

Elise Beers
United States, 2025, 14 min.

In English, Lakota, Navajo with English subtitles.
This film is family friendly.

AIFF Award Winner:
Best Indigenous Short

Braids follows a young Native American boy, Raven, who grapples with identity, tradition, and societal pressures in a world that often misunderstands his heritage causing him to balance cultural integrity and conforming to societal expectations.

Director's Statement

The film aims to provoke thought and empathy, challenging viewers to reflect on the subtle yet profound ways cultural identity is shaped and suppressed in everyday life today. This script is inspired by a few different stories from my family and the current climate of modern colonization through US schools. I want this film to honor my ancestors who were sent to boarding schools and to help shed light on the modern issues

Category: Drama, Short, Award Winner.
Themes: Native American.

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