Press Release
The most successful non-Hollywood Native American film in a generation, Neither Wolf Nor Dog, opens at the King Koal Theatre in Price, UT from September 14 starring Lakota Elder Dave Bald Eagle
(Price) The success of Scottish director, Steven Lewis Simpson’s adaptation of best-selling novel, Neither Wolf Nor Dog, defies logic—Hollywood logic that is. It was audience-financed within 18 shoot days, a tiny crew, a 95-year-old star and a self-distributed release that started in small towns and is outperforming Hollywood blockbusters in numerous multiplexes. It has a higher audience score on Rotten Tomatoes than any big Hollywood movie out at the moment; 4.7/5 – 95%. The film has had a longer theatrical run than any other US film released in the past decade and has become the most successful non-Hollywood Native American film in years. The unprecedented success lead to Simpson being asked to give the first ever TEDx Talk about film distribution https://youtu.be/FVJvX8oMSDo.
The film has steadily rolled out through the nation, remarkably passing over the 180th theater mark within only 15% of the country. In Vancouver, WA the film out-grossed 11 of the 12 summer blockbusters playing in town. It was one of two best performing films of the year at the theater. The film has packed cinemas in rural Utah with runs in Hurricane and Vernal and now it opens at King Koal Theatre in Price (as well as the Salt Creek Cinema in Nephi) from September 14th for one week. Critic Louis Fowler named Neither Wolf Nor Dog the number one film of 2017.
Based on the best-selling Native American novel by Kent Nerburn, Neither Wolf Nor Dog takes audiences on a deeply moving road trip through contemporary and historical Lakota life and culture. Its humor is wry and pulls no punches, introducing deep characters and poignant vignettes that challenge the viewer to see the world a bit differently. Star, Dave Bald Eagle died at the age of 97 before the film was released. For a time his obituary was the most-read feature in the world on the BBC. NPR’s All Things Considered team debated whether Bald Eagle was “the world’s most interesting man.”
Dave Bald Eagle was left for dead during D-Day. Co-star, Christopher Sweeney was awarded the Silver Star from the Gulf War. Yet it was co-star, Richard Ray Whitman who was never in the service that spent the most days under fire during the 71-day occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973 where the government fired hundreds of thousands of bullets at American Indian Movement activists. Dave Bald Eagle had relatives at the infamous Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890. The film’s climax was filmed at Wounded Knee. Sacred ground for its stars. This wasn’t your average movie shoot.
“By the time the end credits arrive, the characters of this modest, crowd-funded feature are practically
unforgettable. It’s immensely serious but no downer.”
Colin Covert – Star Tribune ★★★½ out of four stars https://tinyurl.com/lyu3ooo
“Bury the white saviour complex at Wounded Knee”
Reddirt Report ★★★★★ Review: https://tinyurl.com/ycbcfgvu