SLIFF 2010 Review: FACING THE STORM

When thinking of classic western movie images, I think of men charging on horseback, rowdy saloon, showdowns in the middle of the dusty main street, and buffalo galloping through the  plains Ala DANCES WITH WOLVES. The new documentary, FACING THE STORM directed by Doug Hawes-Davis, tells the history of the American bison and more importantly explore different options for it’s future.

Hawes-Davis interviews many experts on the bison particularly several Native Americans since the animal is such a part of that people’s history. The tribesman hunted the bison and used every part of the animal to survive the harsh winter. Simplistic cut-out animation is used to illustrate some of the ancient stories. Of course the arrival of the white settlers had a huge impact on the bison population. People would actually shoot the animals from slow moving train cars. The bison population dwindled down to under a hundred until Teddy Roosevelt helped lead the fight to restore their numbers. In more recent years the bison seems to be in danger again. In the winter they wander away from their protected area in Yellowstone National Park into Montana where authorized hunts take place. Local cattle ranchers support this as they fear the spread of the disease Brucellosis from the bison to their cows. Several animal rights activists are interviewed and shown trying to get between the rifles and the animals. There’s quite a bit of home video footage of these encounters along with clips of tourists provoking the bison in the national parks. Also included are heartbreaking photos and video of skinned buffalo carcases left to rot in the sun. Towards the end we meet two researchers,who after enduring criticism from local farmers, finally convince them the land is better suited to bison than to crops. One man suggest that the best way to bring back the buffalo is to promote it as a great meat source.

The film is great, informative profile of an animal forever linked to the legends of the wild,wild, west. Hawes-Davis interview many folks with differing opinions and has wonderful archival  footage. If you can handle some of the graphic imagery (especially some slaughter house scenes) you’ll come away with a better understanding of what this majestic beast means to so many different people.

FACING THE STORM will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, November 14 at 5:30 pm at the Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University Campus