the electric indian

documentary i leya hale

A documentary from filmmaker Leya Hale, The Electric Indian follows Ojibwe hockey legend, Henry Boucha. A stand-out hockey star from Warroad, Minnesota, Boucha impressed on the ice from the 1969 Minnesota High School Hockey Tournament to the 1972 Olympics to the NHL, but an on-ice assault and injury ended his athletic career that unexpectedly led to a journey of healing and cultural reclamation.

TRT: 60 Minutes

Release: November 1, 2024

Expiration: October 31, 2028

Distributor: APT

NOLA: ELDN

Rights: Unlimited releases over four (4) years beginning 11/1/2024; Noncommercial Cable rights.

Leya Hale is a documentary filmmaker from the Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota and Diné Nations. Her work has made significant contributions to Twin Cities PBS, where her storytelling shines alight on Indigenous life ways and the social issues impacting her community. She is best known for her regional Emmy award winning films, The People’s Protectors and Bring Her Home, both of which were distributed nationally by PBS. Her latest documentary, The Electric Indian, premiered at The Great Northern and will be distributed nationally by American Public Television (APT).

In 2020, Leya received the Sundance Institute Merata Mita Fellowship for Indigenous Artists and Bring Her Home was selected to represent the US at INPUT 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. Leya’s work has been showcased by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and premiered at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, and received a Dog Iron Award at the 2022 Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival. Her dedication to storytelling and commitment to her community fosters pride and understanding among Native and non-Native audiences worldwide.

Leya Hale (Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota & Diné): Producer/Director

Walt Pourier

Vice Chair

Walt is Oglala Lakota and created the logo for Urban Rez. He is Creative Director, owner of Nakota Designs Advertising Designs and Graphics. Executive Director of the Stronghold Society nonprofit dedicated to instilling hope and supporting youth movements through Live Life Call To Action Campaigns.

lynn palmanteer-holder

Lynn Palmanteer-Holder, an Indigenous plateau woman of North Central Washington and member of eight of twelve Tribes of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Lynn recently retired as inaugural Director of Tribal Government Affairs for Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, the state’s oversight agency of 34 CTCs.  She is a highly accomplished professional that spans over 40 years. She is an experienced educator that has a demonstrated history across K12, post-secondary & higher education as a teacher, school counselor, superintendent, researcher, and professor. Also, she has diverse experience as an entrepreneur, Tribal leader and administrator. She is skilled in curriculum and program development, facilitating government to government relationships that led to formal partnerships between state institutions and Tribes developing custom programs. Lynn has served on many boards and has been recognized for various statewide, and national awards. She has several scholarly publications and has done various conference presentations and speaking engagements, at the local, national and international level. Lynn holds a Ph.C. (ABD) in Social Welfare Policy from University of Washington. She earned her M.Ed., with a concentration in counseling psychology from Washington State University and B.Ed., in K12 Education from Eastern Washington University. Lynn is a wife of 49 years, a mother of three adult professional children, granny of 10 and great granny to two. Lynn and her husband are high school sweethearts, and together enjoy time with their 15+ two-legged blessings.