Vision Maker Film Festival: Everything is Connected – July Streaming
Published on July 1, 2026
These videos are available to view the entire month of July. Please check back each month as new titles will be available to stream.
Each month brings a new selection of powerful American Indian and Alaska Native films, available through in-person screenings at The Ross Theater in Lincoln, NE, and streaming free online worldwide. Join us and discover Indigenous stories, heritages, and perspectives that connect us all.
Streaming in July:
The Bears on Pine Ridge: The Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota is under a declared “State of Emergency,” after a devastating rash of youth suicides tragically reaches the highest levels in the country. Due to inadequate federal assistance, residents have taken prevention efforts into their own hands. The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s suicide prevention team (The Sweetgrass Project) is a small unit, working around the clock to manage the crisis.
The film follows team leader, “Tiny” DeCory, a highly respected female and outspoken Lakota elder, as she sacrifices her own health to answer the many needs on the reservation. In an effort to empower young suicide-survivors, Tiny creates a youth performance group called The Bear Program. This dynamic group of young survivors, most who still struggle with depression and self-harm, band together as a truly inspirational collective. Dressed in big colorful animal costumes, tattered with rips and tears, the group dances energetically to loud pop music and performs comedic sketches for the community. Afterward, the “Bears” remove their outfits to open up, speaking courageously to young audiences about their own personal struggles growing up on the reservation. Through the Bear Program, these resilient youth find their “voice,” courageously speaking out to bring awareness, and bringing joy and hope to other youth in the community.
Themes: Connected by Community; Connected by Health & Wellness
Themes: Connected by Community; Connected by Heritage
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