Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

A few readers have asked over the past year why we haven’t reviewed the film Frozen River or written anything about it. The film is set in Akwesasne and was originally filmed here.

There are a few reasons.

First, I haven’t seen it.

Second, I‘ve been hoping that it would quietly just go away.

Third, I haven’t had cooperation from the film’s director, Courtney Hunt, in writing an article on it.

Without an interview with Hunt, I’m unable to write a fair and unbiased article, so an editorial is the only option I have. The following is everything I know about Frozen River, and you are welcome to decide for yourselves if you want to watch it and you’re welcome to submit your own letters or reviews if you do.

Back in 2004, I heard there was film crew on the St. Lawrence River. I got in touch with the director, Hunt, who was already back downstate by then. I did a phone interview with her and found her to be nice, but slightly defensive. I wrote a fair article on what she had filmed here. At that time, Frozen River was a short. For those not familiar with the film industry, many independent filmmakers create a film short and pitch it to companies who might pay to fund a full-length feature.

The Frozen River short was about a Mohawk woman and a non-Native who got into the business of smuggling humans across Akwesasne’s Frozen River. Hunt had interviewed some people from Akwesasne and she expressed a fascination with the people here and said the Mohawk language was one of the most beautiful things she had ever heard. Fair enough. I wrote the article, bid her farewell, and never thought I’d hear of her again.

Fast forward to January of 2008, a year ago this week, and I was taken by complete surprise to learn that Frozen River had won the most prestigious award at the Sundance Film Festival. Huh? I wasn’t surprised to learn that the film had won, I was surprised to learn that the short film I’d interviewed Hunt for had been turned into a full length film and I hadn’t known about it. Hunt and her crew had been back in the north country making the feature film and no one, including Hunt, had contacted Indian Time.

I pulled up the email address for Hunt and wrote to her of my surprise that the community had never been informed of the second filming, in 2007. I requested an interview with her. I also asked her to screen her film in Akwesasne so the people here would be given the right to express their opinion before the outside world shed theirs. She replied, “To the contrary, Shannon, I did inform people at Akwesasne about both films and there was no interest from anyone regarding the feature, which I respected, and so did not press the matter. I would have been and am happy to speak to you, anytime.”

I dropped that issue and moved forward with my questions since she seemed open to an interview. I sent a list of them. Some were as basic as “Were any Mohawk actors in the film?” Other questions asked Hunt to explain her intentions and why Mohawks were being depicted as extremely poor people who smuggle Pakistani people across the river.

Shortly after my questions were sent to Hunt, I was notified that she would no longer be able to speak to me and that Sony Pictures had taken over her press requests. Sony never responded to my interview questions, and Hunt still hasn’t shown Frozen River in Akwesasne.

The premise of the film isn’t good for Akwesasne. Camper-dwellers who smuggle humans across the river? It’s not that anyone here thinks we don’t have crime but don’t we have enough real crime and a bad enough reputation without films that give an entirely false impression of the Mohawk community?

Also, shouldn’t a film that exposes truths and untruths about Akwesasne at least give respect in the form of notification, or even participation? Many talented individuals here might have liked roles in the film if they weren’t offended by it, or they would have at least liked to have been involved in the project in some way.

Last month, Frozen River received two Academy Award nominations. The first is for Best Actress, based on a performance by the non-Native character in the film played by Melissa Leo. The second is for Best Screenplay/Writing, for the script written by Hunt herself.

These are two highly significant nominations that will be awarded during the Oscar broadcast – not given out at an untelevised ceremony before the real show like technical awards are.

On Oscar night – Feb. 22 – a story assumed to be about Akwesasne could be at the forefront of Oscar night buzz. It is the film industry’s biggest night.

Will Hunt thank Akwesasne or any part of this community if she wins?