Director Sterlin Harjo Attends UNM Screening of His Film ‘Four Sheets to the Wind’

Filmmaker Sterlin Harjo will attend the screening of his film, “Four Sheets to the Wind,” on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. in the UNM Student Union Building Theater. A native of Holdenville, Okla., and a member of the Seminole and Creek nations, Harjo will be at the screening to introduce the film and answer questions.

Photo: Sterlin Harjo

Harjo studied painting at the University of Oklahoma before tackling screenwriting and film theory at the university’s film and video-studies program. Harjo completed development on “Four Sheets to the Wind” through the Sundance Institute’s Filmmakers Lab. In 2004, the Sundance Institute awarded him an Annenberg Fellowship, and “Four Sheets to the Wind” was a finalist for the NHK Award.

“Four Sheets to the Wind” begins with Cufe Smallhill’s father, who never has much to say, but one day, he is quieter than usual. When Cufe finds his father dead beside a bottle of pills, he does as he promised and drags the body out to the family pond, unceremoniously sinking it to the bottom. But everyone in the community is expecting a big funeral, so Cufe, his cousin, and his mom decide to fake one. In the midst of mourning, Cufe realizes he is compelled to explore the world outside the reservation and find a more fulfilling life. His sister, Miri, comes from Tulsa for the funeral and invites him to visit her in the big city. She opens the door for Cufe into a new world.

Harjo’s wonderfully crafted first feature is a fresh and delightful film about healing and the ties that bind people together. Harjo creates a rich Oklahoma atmosphere with its rural landscapes and easy country rhythms, infusing the entire film with a warm sense of humor, while Cody Lightning and Tamara Podemski give charming performances as Cufe and Miri.

The UNM native community hosts Indigenous Day/Sterlin Harjo potluck before the screening, at 4 p.m. in Native American Studies, Mesa Vista Hall 3080. Native American poet and UNM English professor Joy Harjo brings Sterlin Harjo to UNM in conjunction with a graduate seminar course on indigenous film she is co-teaching with Lurline McGregor.

Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzlaes, (505) 277-5920; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu