FESTIVAL PREMIERE
PEOPLE of the SACRED LAND
Director: Dewi Sungai, Sarah Ortegon HighWalking
The idea that we are living on stolen land isn’t new, or even novel; it’s a reality that exists across settler communities worldwide, and many people in the United States are aware of the blatant agendas, coercion, and profound immorality of the treaty process. What’s often missing from that conversation, however, are rigorous, comprehensive, academically supported Native-led studies proving that— even through the lens of modern law— large areas of what we call the United States remain illegally occupied. And nowhere is the evidence and culpability more dramatic than in the state of Colorado. PEOPLE of the SACRED LAND (2026, 32 min) follows Richard Willams (Oglala Lakota, Northern Cheyenne) as he recounts the findings of the Truth, Restoration, and Education Commission (TREC) of Colorado’s TREC Reports. While Rick’s story focuses on Colorado, the approach, implications, and impact of his work provide a model for Native leaders across the continent.
CAST & CREDITS
Director
Dewi Sungai, Sarah Ortegon HighWalking
Producer
Rick Williams
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
Working side-by-side with my life and creative partner Jason Houston, our films explore issues of social justice, relationship and reciprocity, the unseen forces that guide us, and Indigenous Ways of Knowing. Our art is rooted in traditional documentary but increasingly driven by experimental nonfiction approaches such as observational cinematography, animism, participatory collaborations, nonlinear timelines, and the recognition of each story’s spirit and sovereignty. Our practice is built on authenticity, appropriate authorship, and trusted relationships; and our films embrace uncertainty, nuance, and truths revealed in the complexities of the human experience. Embracing our role as dissenting artists in an industry designed around the business of assimilating filmmakers, we strive to create art that is direct, raw, and unapologetically disruptive. We preserve our vision through hands-on involvement at every step, resisting excessive gear, high production costs, or large technical teams. Our art and lives are inextricably intertwined.
DIRECTORS BIO
Dewi (day-wee) Sungai descends from Sundanese, Banjarese, Native Bornean, and English ancestors. Born in Indonesia, she was adopted as an infant by an American couple, renamed “Amy,” and raised in the U.S. in white suburbia. Dewi’s experiences as a transracial+transnational adoptee led her to a filmmaking career that centers Indigenous voices and challenges narratives spun from white supremacy and colonialist worldviews. She and her life+creative partner, Jason Houston, founded eight16 creative, under which they produce creative nonfiction films and photography and champion sovereign storytelling in Indigenous communities around the world. They have directed, cast, produced, filmed, and edited for a wide range of clients including ProPublica and USAID. Dewi is a proud member of A-Doc, BGDM, BIPOC Editors, Cine Fe, Film Fatales, Kin Theory, and Mountain Media Arts Collective, with guest speaking+teaching appearances ranging from Madagascar to Yale.
Showtimes
Friday, November 13
Screening: 2:00 pm
In Person
Post Screening Guests: —
Once Purchased
your name will be at ‘Will Call’
AMC The Grove 14
189 The Grove Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Parking
At The Theatre
