“Skillfully entwining archival footage...[to] methodically fashion a potent history lesson that also is a compelling and complete portrait of Peltier...The final moments might make you smile, or maybe even weep. You’ll still feel very angry, however.”
— Joe Leydon,
“There are happy endings. There are Hollywood endings. And then there is the ending to the new film FREE LEONARD PELTIER...Now the movie has changed its title for advocates, going thrillingly from verb to adjective...Injustice is on its mind, especially with an extradition of Peltier from Canada built on what appears to be an false affidavit, as well as the denials of parole and appeals that in the film’s portrayal are nothing less than a sacrifice of an innocent man on the altar of FBI appeasement.”
— Steven Zeitchik,
“Of all the documentaries at the Sundance film festival this year, perhaps none is as timely as Free Leonard Peltier”
— Adrian Horton,
“The story of Free Leonard Peltier remains an essential piece of evidence of how unjust governments rule over their people. Reminds us that injustice is far harder to escape than some might expect.”
— Alan French,
“A solid, stirring account of the fight to release Peltier... an essential history lesson”
— Ty Burr,
ABOUT THE FILM
LOGLINE
Directed by Jesse Short Bull (Lakota Nation vs. the United States) and David France (How To Survive a Plague, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, and Welcome to Chechnya), and produced by Bird Runningwater. Leonard Peltier, one of the surviving leaders of the American Indian Movement, has been in prison for 50 years following a contentious conviction. A new generation of Native activists is committed to winning his freedom before he dies.
LONG SYNOPSIS
Directed by Jesse Short Bull (Lakota Nation vs. the United States) and David France (How To Survive a Plague, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, and Welcome to Chechnya), and produced by Bird Runningwater. Leonard Peltier, one of the surviving leaders of the American Indian Movement, has been in prison for 50 years following a contentious conviction. A new generation of Native activists is committed to winning his freedom before he dies.
Directors Jesse Short Bull, David France
Producers David France, Jhane Myers, Paul Mcguire, Bird Runningwater
Executive Producers Jodi Archambault, The Schmidt Family Foundation, James Costa, Trevor Burgess, Lekha Singh, Bryn Mooser, Justin Lacob, Laura Choi Raycroft
Co-Executive Producers Kevin Jennings, Illuminative Entertainment, Edgar Villanueva
Co-Producers Jamie Deradorian-Delia, Tomas Naglis, Preston Randolph
Editors Adam Evans, Hannah Vanderlan
Director of Photography Kyle Bell
Composer Mato Wayuhi
FESTIVALS
2025: Sundance (World Premiere)
AVAILABLE TERRITORIES
The World
EXHIBITION FORMATS
DCP, Digital Download
PRESS KIT
Download Press Kit
AVAILABLE PRESS IMAGES (click to preview)
