Huge thank you to all those who came out last week for BEING THUNDER! We are grateful to have had this opportunity to screen this film with our friends at the RISD Museum and the Tomaquag Museum, supported by the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities.
ABOUT THE FILM: French filmmaker Stephanie Lamorre quietly documents Sherenté’s life and family interactions over the course of several years. Sherenté’s energy is focused on participating in traditional dance competitions with other New England tribes, but not everyone is supportive of Sherenté’s inclusion in the “girls” category. They endure judges’ biases and discrimination for not adhering to so-called traditional gender roles. From taking on prejudiced judges to tackling college applications, Sherenté shines through as a role model for youth worldwide to go against the grain and live as their authentic selves with tenacity and grace. Lamorré’s stunning observational documentary is a rare example of a three-dimensional, Indigenous LGBTQ+ story, demonstrating the need for far more on-screen representation. Being Thunder is a meditative, unobtrusive documentary about a courageous Indigenous teenager who unapologetically strives for greatness against all types of resistance.
Photography by Cat Laine
