Sense of Belonging with Brooke Pepion Swaney and Kendra Mylnechuk Potter

In this episode, director Brooke Pepion Swaney and producer/actor Kendra Mylnechuk Potter discuss the theme of sense of belonging and their friendship during the making of OK BREATHE AURALEE and DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD. Finally, in today’s concluding thought, Edward discusses his involvement in the film industry. Guest Bios:  Brooke P. Swaney (she/her, Blackfeet/Salish) was selected to participate as a NATIVe Fellow at the 2019 European Film Market/Berlinale.  She is also a 2014 Native Arts and Cultures Foundation Fellow and a 2013 Time Warner Fellow through the Sundance Institute. OK BREATHE AURALEE, her NYU graduate thesis film, screened at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and has TV distribution with FNX (First Nations Experience, a PBS affiliate). Brooke’s experience also includes producing BELLA VISTA (Rotterdam 2014), Vision Maker Media funded short film and new media project SIXTY FOUR FLOOD (PBS & PBS digital), and the first season of the podcast ALL MY RELATIONS (Matika Wilbur & Dr. Adrienne Keene). She also worked with Revolution Messaging on the Bernie Sanders 2016 United States Presidential campaign on their digital media team, producing, directing and editing; her Native Outreach ad I AM HUMAN received over 3 million hits on Facebook. Brooke is also a screenwriting faculty mentor at the Institute of American Indian Arts in their Creative Writing MFA program. Kendra M. Potter (she/her, Lummi) is an actor whose performances can be see in CHRISTMAS UNDER WRAPS (Hallmark), 2 DAYS IN NEW YORK, NATIVES (SXSW 2013), and OK BREATHE AURALEE (Best Actor NBC/Universal Short Cuts), THE BLACKLIST (NBC), WINTER IN THE BLOOD, WE BURN LIKE THIS, and COPPER CITY. In addition to her work on film, Kendra is a theatre artist, writer, and educator. She is co-founder of MT+NYC Collaborative, a cross country theatre company based in Missoula, MT. The Buffalo Play, which she co-wrote with Ciara Griffin, premiered at The Tank in NYC in 2019. She supports people’s search for identity and storytelling in workshops, retreats, and classes through both the MT+NYC Collaborative and her business Sistermoon Wellness, where she works as a birth doula and yoga instructor. Time codes:  1:34 - Brooke and Kendra's film upbringings 10:15 - Brooke and Kendra discuss how they met and the making of OK BREATHE AURALEE 17:50 - Analyzing Auralee's characterization and film's themes 24:50 - Kendra shares her experience in the film industry 27:46 - Brooke shares how she became a character in DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD and its structure 35:00 - Breaking down DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD's opening and Kendra meeting her biological mom April 43:16 - Discussing the cemetery scene in DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD 45:40 - The historical context of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and Indian Adoption Project 51:10 - Kendra's relationship with her biological and adoptive families and working in a healthy environment 55:30 - Brooke and Kendra on presenting DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD to non-target audiences, and during the U.S. political climate  1:02:20 - Film recommendations: Cleo from 5 to 7 and Love Liza 1:03:40 - Concluding Thought: Edward being a "film-involver" Show notes: Indian Child Welfare Act Indian Adoption Project DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD trailer OK BREATHE AURALEE trailer