The film industry’s award season is coming to a close and has been a historic moment in time with Lily Gladstone, an actress of Blackfeet descent, being the first Indigenous woman to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama, a SAG award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role category, and an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. 

The wins and nominations are for Gladstone’s role in “Killers of The Flower Moon,” where she played Mollie Kyle, an Osage woman with oil wealth who begins to inherit her family’s oil headrights after they, and many other Osage people, die under mysterious circumstances. Mollie’s husband is one of the men who conspired to kill her family and many other Osage in hopes of gaining their wealth. The movie is based on historical events that happened in Oklahoma in the 1920s. While the story is tragic, it is one that needs to be told because it depicts the horrific experiences that Indigenous communities have faced, and continue to face. Not only have Gladstone’s wins and nominations made history, but they have sparked a much-needed conversation.

For many Indigenous individuals, the film industry has long been a source of frustration due to the lack of authentic representation. Historically, movies featuring Indigenous characters often perpetuate harmful stereotypes, portraying them as “dumb Indians” and “savages” — stigmas that have long plagued Indigenous communities. The inaccurate portrayals of Native cultures and identities on screen are not only deeply hurtful, but also contribute to the erasure of authentic Indigenous voices and experiences.

However, recent recognition of Indigenous talent in the film industry, such as Lily Gladstone’s Golden Globe win, signals a positive shift. Gladstone is the first Indigenous person to win an award of this stature. This recognition not only celebrates the talent and contributions of Indigenous artists but also serves as a crucial step towards more authentic and respectful representation in film.  

As a young Indigenous woman myself, I recall being drawn to Disney’s interpretation of Pocahontas as a child. Even at a young age, I remember the pride I felt watching a movie that represented little Indigenous girls like me. I saw myself in Pocahontas and marveled at her spiritual connection to all things on Mother Earth. 

As I grew up, I watched movies like “Smoke Signals” or “Legends of the Fall” just to feel a connection to movies and the characters playing in them. This is when I began to notice the lack of representation in the film world and how I had to replay old movies to get a glimpse of Indigenous roles. 

This was also when I realized the horror that was Disney’s “Pocahontas”: A romanticized story of a young Indigenous woman connecting and quickly falling in love with a strange man whose people colonized her land and terrorized her tribe. Not to mention their first encounter was him pointing a gun at her face because he was afraid. 

Now as I watch back I sink in my seat as they sing about the savages that are “barely even human.” Many Indigenous people have dubbed Pocahonatas, or Motoaka, the first Murdered and Missing Indigenous Woman, as she was 9 years old when John Rolfe entered her life. A movie that once made me feel seen was replaced with sadness for the trauma she had to endure and how Hollywood capitalized yet again on an Indigenous person’s pain. 

Although “Killers of The Flower Moon” still depicts an Indigenous person’s pain brought on by a conspiracy to take an Osage family’s oil wealth, it does so in an accurate way with input from the generations of Osage whose ancestors experienced the tragedies. You get to see an accurate representation of the Osage language and traditions in “Killers of The Flower Moon.” 

While both movies are based on true historical events and centered around strong Indigenous women involved in relationships with white men who come and turn their lives upside down, “Killers of The Flower Moon” offers a more accurate and factual portrayal of historical events compared to the romanticized and inaccurate depiction seen in “Pocahontas”. The difference between the two comes when Disney inaccurately depicts Pocahontas as a willing participant in her love story and a peacemaker to the violence brought upon her tribe, while “Killers of The Flower Moon” documents the factual events of an Osage Nation family who were victims of a conspiracy to take their oil wealth. 

When Indigenous individuals are portrayed authentically on screen, it not only validates their experiences but also provides an opportunity for audiences to engage with diverse perspectives and stories, fostering understanding and empathy across cultures. Other shows like “Reservation Dogs” or “Rutherford Falls,” and movies like “Indian Horse” are also good stories that can help people gain a better understanding of the triumphs and tribulations that Native Americans go through.

While progress has been made, there is still so much work to be done to ensure that Indigenous voices are heard and represented accurately in the film industry. Advocacy for inclusive casting, authentic storytelling, and meaningful collaboration with Indigenous communities is crucial for driving lasting change. The recent recognition of Indigenous talent in the film industry is a pivotal moment in addressing the historical lack of representation.

In Lily’s acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, she said, “This [award] is for every little rez kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid out there who has a dream, who is seeing themselves represented in our stories told by ourselves in our own words with tremendous allies and tremendous trust.” These words are a testament to the obstacles we have fought to be recognized in spaces where we were once pushed out of. It has been a long time coming and I know this is only the beginning. 

It healed a little piece of the rez kid in me and I know it ignited a fire inside the younger Indigenous generations watching. Lily’s Golden Globe and SAG wins and her Oscar nomination are proud moments for Indigenous communities everywhere and we will all continue to root for her and those that have come before her and those that she has inspired to chase their dreams of one day being in movies and TV shows.