Red Fever- (Hot Docs review) Native people are the original influencers

                                                    RED FEVER (Hot Docs Review)

Feature documentary - 104 minutes 

Direction: Neil Diamond and Catherine Bainbridge

Production : Rezolution Pictures
French Title : Rougemania 

Production country: Canada

Original languages: English 

Subtitles: French

Red Fever follows Cree co-director Neil Diamond as he shines a spotlight on the stereotypes of Native people and their culture.

Neil in NYC

An insightful exploration of the origins of Native culture stereotypes and their appropriation by North American fashion designers and in film.

While the Natives were expected to assimilate into North American culture and lose their identities their identities were then stolen by everyone else. Pop culture has perpetuated stereotypes of Native culture through the appropriation of items such as the native headdress and fringes, which hold significance in ceremonial gatherings and represent protection for the Shamans within Indigenous communities. Many fashion designers and pop artists have directly replicated Native designs from historical sources to profit from them, depriving Native people of the opportunity to benefit from their own cultural capital. This exploitation also devalues the significance and functional purpose of Native attire.

It also examines how sports teams have appropriated Native names and colors for their teams, and even the tomahawk chop is performed without consideration.

The questions of when it is acceptable to be influenced by and draw inspiration from other cultures, and whether it is ethical for non-Native individuals to use these designs for commercial gain, are important to consider.

This film sensitively explores the detrimental effects of cultural appropriation on Native communities. The film is told from the perspective of a Cree filmmaker and is eye-opening. This film is both interesting and educational. It should be shown in schools because it's a part of history. It illustrates how things have been adopted and have become accepted as the norm.

This film will have its theatrical release on June 15, 2024. Check your local listings.