MMIP documentary series to screen at Babcock

Western Native Voice and  Northern Plains Resource Council will co-host the Billings premiere of  Murder in Big Horn , a new docuseries from Showtime about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis, on Saturday, April 15 at the Babcock Theatre in Billings.

The screening will begin at 1 p.m. and will show all three episodes in the series.  You can get your free ticket online here .

“Important state and federal legislation is happening around the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis,” said Ronnie Jo Horse, Executive Director at Western Native Voice.“We felt that hosting this screening would be a way to better educate the public and gain support on this issue that hits so close to every home in Native communities across the country.”

Billings-based Western Native Voice works statewide to nurture and empower new native leaders and impact policies affecting Native Americans through community organizing, education, leadership, and advocacy.

Murder in Big Horn was directed by Razelle Benally and Matthew Galkin, and shot almost entirely in Big Horn County, Montana. The three-part docuseries crafts a powerful portrait of tribal members who have lost loved ones to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis, and examines the circumstances surrounding many of these cases. Murder in Big Horn tells a story solely through the perspectives of those involved in the cases featuring Native families, Native journalists, and local law enforcement officers.

“Having a showing here in Billings is so important and much needed,” said Ivy MacDonald, Blackfeet filmmaker and a producer for the Murder in Big Horn series. “People are finally paying attention to what’s going on around them. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases aren’t just happening on reservations – it happens everywhere.”

A discussion panel and question and answer opportunity will immediately follow the conclusion of the final episode. The panel will feature Blackfeet filmmakers and Murder in Big Horn producers Ivy and Ivan MacDonald, journalist and advocate Luella Brien, who is featured in the series, and members of some of the families who have lost loved ones to the crisis and are featured in the series. The event will conclude at 5 p.m.

“Murder in Big Horn discusses the many factors that have created the Murdered and Missing Indigenous People crisis while spotlighting local cases that thrust the movement into the national spotlight,” said Luella Brien, founder, editor-in-chief, and executive director with Four Points Media. “This series is a must-see for Montanans because this crisis affects every one of us, Indigenous or not.”

The series premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January to sold-out screenings.

“Murder in Big Horn brings up so many different emotions, including anger, rage, and grief,” said Tom Mexicancheyenne, a member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and member of Northern Plains Resource Council. “This is why Northern Plains has chosen to be involved — to help bring awareness of violence against Indigenous people in Montana and address the disparities involved.”

Northern Plains is a grassroots conservation and family agriculture group that organizes Montanans to protect our water quality, family farms and ranches, and unique quality of life.

This screening is also sponsored by  Four Points Media , MMIP Billings L.L.C., the Unspoken Words Podcast, Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center , the Native American Development Corporation, the  Yellowstone County Area Human Trafficking Task Force , Friends of the Children – Eastern Montana Chapter , the Snowbird Fund, and the  Montana Community Foundation.

Murder in Big Horn addresses difficult topics and may be challenging for some people to watch. Due to the heavy nature of the content, explicit discussion of murder, trafficking, criminal investigations, and the inclusion of autopsy images, we recommend that children are accompanied by an adult. Trauma resources and mental health support from the Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center will be available during the screening.