Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (film)

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a 2007 historical drama television film adapted from Dee Brown's 1970 non-fiction book of the same name. The film portrays the historical events leading up to the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, told from the perspective of several Oglala Lakota individuals. These characters include Charles Eastman (portrayed by Adam Beach), a young, educated Lakota doctor; Sitting Bull (portrayed by August Schellenberg), the iconic Lakota chief; and Henry Dawes (portrayed by Aidan Quinn), a U.S. Senator instrumental in the passage of the Dawes Act.

The film explores the U.S. government's policies towards Native Americans during the late 19th century, focusing on broken treaties, forced assimilation, and the systematic destruction of Lakota culture and way of life. Key events depicted include the negotiation and implementation of the Dawes Act, which aimed to break up communal tribal lands into individual allotments, and the Ghost Dance movement, a religious revival that alarmed the U.S. government and led to increased military presence on reservations.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee received generally positive reviews and won multiple awards, including Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Made for Television Movie and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (for August Schellenberg). The film is recognized for its attempts to provide a more nuanced and Native American-centric perspective on historical events often presented from a Eurocentric viewpoint. While praised for its performances and production values, some critics have noted deviations from historical accuracy and the potential for simplification of complex historical issues.