Tonight NewMexiKen happened upon the made for television, Canadian film Cowboys and Indians:The Killing of J.J. Harper. It’s an intriguing, informative, moving, entertaining work.
The film stars Adam Beach (Windtalkers, Smoke Signals) as J.J. Harper, and Eric Scheig (Skins, Last of the Mohicans) as his half-brother Harry Wood. The film begins with the fatal shooting by a Winnipeg constable (police officer) of tribal chairman Harper, then traces the police reaction and its ultimate unraveling under pressure from Wood and the tribe. The movie was produced in 2003; the actual events it depicts took place in 1988.
Despite having that made-for-TV look, this film is well worth seeking out. I promise you that — half way in — you will be pushing the reverse button to go back and see the action leading up to the shooting. More importantly, the movie succeeds at portraying both the Indian and police point of view with unusual understanding, and with genuine compassion for the people involved.