The short film “Our Father” relates the story about a pair of siblings’ commitment to following the exact funeral wishes of their departed patriarch and the final goodbye proving that there is a beauty in the afterlife waiting us. The two main leads, the brother and the sister, start the short film off by bickering away about the coordination and operation of their duties; we get the sense that they’re pressured by the circumstances of an arbitrary situation. But when the reveal of them and their departed father is brought forth, there’s a greater sense of sentiment and relatability when they follow through and give their father a traditional memorial send-off. As a short film, I’m impressed by the technicality and quality of the filmmakers almost feeling like it was a run-and-gun/on-the-fly direction of a story that breezes so quickly that it allows you to want to revisit the filmmaking on screen, especially during the final few minutes and the clean and bright cinematography. Addressing the dialogue, the Caddo language being represented and exemplified on screen by the talent and credits is especially exceptional when I discovered it’s a current language of the Natchitoches people being revived after losing their last native speaker in 2025; this brings the writing and delivery of these lines and the credits a higher level of appreciation and one that must be shared with those larger audiences. This film shows the importance of Indigenous filmmaking at it’s most resourceful and presented with a magnetic touch of humanity that everyone – especially those handling the loss of a loved one – can find beautiful and memorable. 3/4 Seals!
New Research on River Forecasts
The Colorado River Basin is entering another critical stretch as scientists, cities, water managers, and federal agencies warn that the system is still under serious