Trudell

Filmmaker Heather Rae's 2005 documentary celebrates the life and art of Native American writer and activist John Trudell, partially focusing on Trudell's involvement in politics, beginning with the 1969-71 occupation of Alcatraz Island. In the aftermath, the FBI clearly kept an eye on Trudell—he was the subject of a 17,000-page dossier—and the film insists the government agency had some role in the 1979 arson-related deaths of his pregnant wife, children, and mother-in-law at Trudell's Nevada home (the residence had been under surveillance and the fatal fire occurred less than 12 hours after Trudell burned an American flag at FBI headquarters in Washington as part of a demonstration). In the wake of personal tragedy, Trudell's focus shifted from political activism to politically-tinged poetry and performance art (he's also done a few acting gigs), and it's here that the film begins to flounder, presenting quasi-music videos using archival footage to illustrate recordings of his leaden poetry and strident spoken word performance style. Optional. (P. Hall)