From the Director of QuestComes a New Documentary about
13 Years in the Life of a Lakȟóta Family WITHOUT ARROWS
Following its National PBS Premiere, Without Arrows is Now Available for Streaming & on DVD
"Emotionally powerful."
-David Bianculli, NPR's Fresh Air
Filmed over 13 years, Without Arrows chronicles the vibrance and struggle of a Lakȟóta family.
Delwin Fiddler Jr., a champion grass dancer from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, left his reservation as a young man and built a new life in Philadelphia.
A decade later he abandons it all and returns home to fulfill his mother’s ambition and carry on the legacy of their thiyóšpaye
(extended family).
"Beautifully crafted...inspiring! It is a film that challenges stereotypes of Native American culture and fosters a deeper understanding of a complex and beautiful community." -Documentary Drive
Full Synopsis
The poignant feature documentary Without Arrows chronicles three generations of a Lakota family as Delwin Fiddler Jr., an acclaimed grass dancer, returns to his ancestral home on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota. After 11 years of living in Philadelphia, he leaves his big city life behind, aiming to reconnect with his mother and father and learn more about their family history.
A portrait of the Fiddlers, Without Arrows begins as Delwin works to rebuild his life and sense of identity while navigating within his family and within the larger culture of the reservation. Delwin experiences struggles and frustrations as he attempts to rekindle an interest in traditional Lakota lifeways while healing from the trauma that caused him to leave home in the first place. Through tenderness and tragedy Without Arrows celebrates the emotional arcs and hidden longings of the Fiddler family as they strive to carry on the legacy of their ancestors to the next generation.
Without Arrows
A documentary by Delwin Fiddler Jr., Jonathan Olshefski, & Elizabeth Day
