Premieres Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS app
The poignant feature documentary “Without Arrows” premieres INDEPENDENT LENS. The film 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, the film 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.
Filmmaker Quote:
“We are grateful to the Fiddlers for sharing their story and we hope that audiences will relate to this multi-generational story and gain new insights about the joys and challenges a Lakota family experiences, “ said Producer and Director Jonathan Olshefski and Elizabeth Day. “As this is a story about a family legacy that goes back many generations, we want to emphasize the importance that every link in the chain has in creating a foundation for the ones who come next. We hope our film will cause audiences to consider the legacy that they leave behind as they live their lives and pursue their own hopes and dreams.”
Watch On Your Schedule: “Without Arrows” will be available to stream on the PBS app.
