Robert Keith Collins

The dark recesses of American history unfurl as this documentary delves deep into the U.S-Indian wars, an era often shrouded in misconceptions. As the U.S. expands westward, encroaching on Native lands, tensions surge, leading to the strategic establishment of the Bozeman Trail through Sioux territory. However, the promise of peace shatters with the U.S.'s relentless intrusion into the sacred Black Hills. The narrative takes a poignant turn when the Ghost Dance religion emerges, a spiritual outcry born from despair and a yearning to reclaim a lost world. Through intense dialogues and reflections, the film challenges viewers to confront the moral complexities of war and ponder the cost of progress. As modernity dawns, the shared pain of Wounded Knee remains an indelible scar, urging societies to remember, reconcile, and respect.

In 1866, as the U.S. modernized its military, the Army Reorganization Act allowed Native Americans to enlist as scouts, heralding a profound era of change. Amidst this backdrop, the film unfolds the story of Baptiste Garnier, a half Oglala Sioux, half French-Canadian scout known as "Little Bat." Torn between his Sioux roots and his U.S. allegiances, he navigated the brutal Indian wars and was at the heart of pivotal battles, including the tragic Wounded Knee massacre. Although perceived as a bridge between two worlds, Baptiste's duality often led him to make heartbreaking decisions. By the time of his untimely death in 1900, shot by a white bartender over a bar tab dispute, he epitomized the complex weave of identity and legacy, raising questions about the cost of serving two peoples in a divided America.

A look into the 19th century American-Indian Wars, Manifest Destiny, and the conflicts between Apache tribes and the African-American Buffalo soldier regiments.