SXSW Film Review: The Unknown Country

In this unique intersection of journalism and fiction, Lily Gladstone is the only hired actress. She plays Tana, a young woman taking a solitary road trip from Minneapolis to West Texas after the death of her grandmother, for whom she was the primary caretaker.

Tana’s story serves as the vehicle through which The Unknown Country glimpses different parts of the country, with a special focus on South Dakota’s Native American community. Appearing as a relative who had long since left the reservation, Tana reunites with family at her “cousin’s” wedding — the actual wedding of Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux and Devin Shangreaux.

The unscripted scenes are much more compelling than the relatively weak plot tying them together. When the Shangreaux's young daughter, between her parents at the altar, procures her phone and loudly plays Pac-Man, Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux takes the phone with a disapproving, motherly scolding, inviting laughter from her wedding guests and the film’s audience.

Another frame spotlights 90-year-old Florence R. Perrin grooving with the country rhythm at a Dallas dance hall. Decked out in sequins, “Flo” absolutely sets the mood at the dancefloor night after night, a delightful snapshot no screenplay could have better created.

The Unknown Country shines in its cinematography. Director Morrisa Maltz draws upon her visual arts background to achieve a truly stunning movie. From shots of Wisconsin snow, to winding country roads, to the mountain-scape at Texas’s Big Bend National Park, every image looks intentional, artistic, and wonderfully honest. Emotion elevates not only Gladstone’s performance and the various true stories, but also Maltz’s expert camerawork.

Initially, Gladstone said she felt hesitant to sign onto Maltz’s film. She’d received several offers for “native girl reclaims identity”-esque scripts, and she feared Maltz’s project might verge on appropriation like some of the others. Yet Gladstone quickly fell in love with the narrative, graciously immersing herself in the Shangreaux family.

As a concept, The Unknown Country excels. It’s acutely original and reveals the range of extraordinary, authentic humanity in this country. As a cohesive film, though, it requires too much context and background about the project to be widely understood. But make no mistake: it’s worth the watch, if even just for Jazzy and Flo.

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The Unknown Country

Visions, World Premiere
Tuesday, March 15, 8:45pm, Alamo Lamar
Thursday, March 17, 9pm, AFS Cinema
Online: March 14, 9am-March 16, 9am