A film by Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation / Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians)

2025 | 88’ | United States | Documentary, Experimental | English

Seeking Representation – John Cardellino hello@johncardellino.com

Powwow People is a radically immersive, durational portrait of a contemporary powwow. Inviting audiences as participants rather than observers, the film blends intimate preparation and performance, weaving regalia, rhythm, and intergenerational presence into a vibrant celebration of First Nations culture, sovereignty, and a cinematic language that defies easy categorization.

Sky Hopinka, a descendant of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians and an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, is a filmmaker, writer, artist, and academic raised in Ferndale, Washington. His work spans film, photography, and installation, reconfiguring how Indigenous experiences are seen and heard. His latest feature, Powwow People (2025), continues this groundbreaking practice.