We Shall Remain to premiere

NYC Premiere of “We Shall Remain: Trail of Tears”The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian announces today that the opening night film for the 14th Native American Film and Video Festival (NAFVF) in its 30th running year, will be the world premiere of “We Shall Remain: Trail of Tears” directed by Chris Eyre (Cheyenne/Arapaho), on Thursday, Mar. 26, 2009 at 7 p.m. The screening will be introduced by Chris Eyre, executive producer Sharon Grimberg, and lead actor Wes Studi (Cherokee). The festival will run from Thursday, Mar. 26 through Sunday, Mar. 29 at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York, the George Gustav Heye Center.

As part of the acclaimed series from PBS, “We Shall Remain: Trail of Tears” is narrated by Benjamin Bratt (Quechua) and explores the resolve and resilience of the Cherokee Nation, who resisted removal from their homelands in the Southeast in every way they knew: assimilating, adopting a European-style government and legal system, accepting Christianity, and even taking their case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Despite decades of struggle to keep their land, in 1838, thousands of Cherokee were forced from their homes in the Southeastern United States, driving them toward Indian Territory in Eastern Oklahoma. More than 4,000 died of disease and starvation along the way. “Trail of Tears” is the third episode in American Experience’s five-part miniseries, “We Shall Remain.”Comment:  Looks like We Shall Remain will be the viewing event of the year. I hope it's as good as the hype.

For more on the subject, see We Shall Remain a Game-Changer? and Preview of We Shall Remain.