Free Leonard Peltier

Native American activist Leonard Peltier has been in prison for nearly 50 years for the murder of two FBI agents. His conviction was based in part on evidence presented by the FBI that was likely falsified, as this richly documented plea for his release shows.

A large part of the documentary is devoted to Peltier’s involvement with the American Indian Movement and the injustices he and his fellow activists fought against. Many Native American children were forcibly sent to boarding schools by the U.S. government, where they were subjected to ‘re-education’. Their testimonies reflect a long history of racism and dispossession. Peltier himself, who could not be filmed in prison, appears in archival interview footage. Particularly striking are the scenes of protests and the preparations for them beforehand.

Now elderly, the activists remain as militant as ever. Their deep sense of despair and anger has not faded—nor has their fear, as the state remains a powerful adversary. And yet, optimism and solidarity continue to sustain their struggle.