Bad River

Doc Shorts |  11m

Directed by Aj Reid

Reachable only by bush plane, boat or ice road during the winter months, Kwethluk, AK is in many ways removed from modern society. The Central Yup’ik village’s indigenous population enjoys a strong connection to the land and one another rooted in their subsistence lifestyle and remote location. But outside influences have steadily crept into the fabric of life on the “bad river.” This short documentary, told through the lens of three Native elders, chronicles the changing world of a village reckoning with the effects of modernization, the public school system, and climate change on the numerous values and traditions that residents cherish.