Mankiller (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mankiller |
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| Directed by | Valerie Red-Horse Mohl |
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| Release date(s) | June 19, 2017 |
| Running time | 74 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Mankiller is a 2017 documentary film that tells the amazing story of Wilma Mankiller. She was the first woman to become the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. The film was directed by Valerie Red-Horse Mohl. It first showed in the US on June 19, 2017, at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Red-Horse Native Productions and Valhalla Entertainment made the film. It was also shown on PBS.
Contents
Discovering Wilma Mankiller's Journey
This film explores the life of Wilma Mankiller. She was the first woman elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. The movie shows her journey from childhood in Oklahoma. It follows her family's move to San Francisco. Then, it shows her return to Oklahoma. Finally, it highlights her rise to power within the Cherokee Nation.
The film uses interviews with her friends and family. It also includes talks with activists like Gloria Steinem. Old videos of Wilma Mankiller are also shown. These parts help to tell her story. They show how she became a strong leader. She overcame many challenges, like sexism. She helped bring better times and more success to the Cherokee Nation.
How the Film Was Made
Starting the Project
Vision Maker Media got money to start researching this film in 2012. The first filming for research happened in July 2013. This took place around Tulsa, Oklahoma. More money for making the film was announced in 2014.
Raising Money and Filming
On March 9, 2015, Valhalla Entertainment started a Kickstarter campaign. This was to help pay for the film. By April 8, 2015, they had raised over $164,856. More than 1,000 people helped by donating. Some actors from the TV show The Walking Dead also helped.
The first part of filming happened in 2015. They filmed in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. They also filmed in Oakland, Oklahoma, and San Diego. Vision Maker Media got more funding in 2016. The last filming took place in August 2016. This was in Oklahoma and Wisconsin. The final editing was done in Los Angeles and San Francisco. This happened in late 2016 and early 2017.
Film Release and Screenings
Premiere and Festivals
The film first showed to the world on June 19, 2017. This was in the United States at the LA Film Festival. Since then, it has been shown at 20 film festivals. These festivals are all around the world. Some famous ones include DOC NYC and the Austin Film Festival. It was also shown at the Mill Valley Film Festival. Other festivals were Winda in Australia and ImagineNative in Canada.
Television Debut
Mankiller had its first TV showing on PBS in March 2018. This was part of Women's History Month.
Awards and Recognition
The film won several important awards. It was named Best Documentary Feature at two festivals. These were the Tulsa American and the Rome International Film Festivals. It also won the Stanford Video Award for Editing. This was at the 2017 United Nations Association Film Festival. The film was also called Best of the Fest at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
