Over the past year, I’ve led a team of three in creating a documentary short film about the repatriation of buffalo herds to Tribal lands in the American West. As the producer and creator of the project, I wanted to tell a story of hope that countered the brutality of industrial agriculture. I thought we’d find it on small-scale organic farms, but many of the producers I spoke with acknowledged that their models were too niche and too costly. They urged that if I wanted to champion true sustainability, I should consult true experts: Indigenous communities.
Our film brings audiences on the same journey of discovery and disillusionment before turning toward the stories of Tribal coalitions creating food sovereignty through native buffalo herds. A keystone species on the Great Plains, buffalo are uniquely adapted to rehabilitate ecosystems, reinvigorate soils, and withstand extreme weather. For many descendants of the plains, buffalo harvesting is a reclamation of culture as well as a healthy food source. These animals are the perfect lens into alternative models of food production and distribution, and the perfect illustration that our survival into the future may depend on our willingness to learn from the past.
Buffalo alone are not the answer to the crisis we face. But the strategies and ideas around their reintroduction might teach us about what “sustainable food” looks like in America. Above all, I hope these stories push people to imagine more vividly how we might feed each other in the future.
Taylor Plett is a Trinity senior studying English literature and documentary. Her work both in the classroom and in the field explores the relationship between people and the natural world through stories of the American food system.
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Hello! This was a very interesting project that I really enjoyed watching! I feel like I learned a lot in a really concise and engaging manner. I loved how the progression of the film follows your own journey in learning what you felt was important to highlight. Great job!
Hi Taylor!
I loved your short film and really thought it was admirable how you shifted the whole trajectory of your production to focus on indigenous communities. I also really appreciated the scope of interviews you conducted and can tell the thought you put into crafting the interview questions. I was wondering if you have any future plans, like creating a longer length documentary or a part two?
Hi Emily,
Thanks so much! This is just a proof of concept as my “poster” — the film itself will be around 30 minutes. I appreciate your comment!
Hey Taylor!
This was so fascinating; awesome job! How do you think this will inform your future in filmmaking? Would you like to stay in the realm of sustainability?
Hello, Taylor! This is a great documentary with an amazing topic! Do you know of other keystone species currently in need of rehabilitation? How do non-native researchers work with Indigenous communities to thoughtfully and accurately platform Indigenous knowledges?
Hi Taylor,
I loved the topic and execution of your film, great work!
I’m also interested in exploring digital storytelling and was wondering what courses, professors or key experiences you had at Duke that helped you throughout this process? Also, was there any moment/individual you encountered while making this film that you didn’t expect going into it that has now altered or impacted your current view of filmmaking? If so, what was it?
Best of luck with your full-length film!
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