Medicine Woman

Documentary | Christine Lesiak & Princella P. RedCorn

What does it take to heal a people? That’s the question at the heart of Medicine Woman, a one-hour PBS documentary interweaving the lives of Native healers of today with that of the first Native American doctor. Born on the Nebraska frontier in 1865, Susan La Flesche Picotte studied medicine at a time when few women dared. She graduated first in her Philadelphia class and returned home to a shattered world. She spent the rest of her life working to help her people become whole again.

57 minutes

Release: November. 1 2016

Expiration: November 1, 2021

Distributor: PBS Plus

NOLA: MEDW 000

Rights: Unlimited releases over five (5) years beginning 11/01/2016;

SCH/1YR (for K‐12); and non‐commercial cable rights.

Christine Lesiak

Producer/Director/Writer
Christine Lesiak is a Peabody Award winning producer who has produced, written and directed numerous award-winning documentaries, specializing in history and the humanities.  Her most recent project, Yours, Willa Cather, is a multi-faceted exploration of Cather’s letters, featuring a documentary, an iBook, and an interactive website. Standing Bear’s Footsteps premiered on PBS in 2012. Lesiak is currently producing and writing Medicine Woman, a documentary about healing in Native America.

Princella P. RedCorn

Producer/Director
RedCorn (Omaha) has extensive experience in all aspects of media production, including research, documentary production, shooting, sound engineer, editing, youth media workshops, and the creation of film websites, educational curriculum and digital learning objects.  She worked as Associate Producer on Standing Bear’s Footsteps, assisting NET Television’s Executive Producer Christine Lesiak with script development, production planning and providing logistical support throughout the production. Princella is a member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and a graduate of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Theater. 

Patrick Aylward

Editor/Director/Videographer
Pat Aylward has been shooting and editing award winning documentary films for the past 25 years. His most recent projects have been Willa Cather-- the Road is All, for American Masters, Emery Blagden and His Healing Machines, and Standing Bear's Footsteps, all of which have been broadcast on PBS prime time.

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.

JORDANA BASS

Project Coordinator​

(Hataža Mani Winga)​

"Cinema Aficionado"

Role: Jordana is excited to engage with different Native/Indigenous communities. Her passion for working with youth will help develop the Native Youth Media Project. She will also assist with the Creative Shorts Fellowship (CSF) to help organize deliverables for filmmakers.