Bravery.  Strength. Resilience.  These are the words a film uses to describe the struggle of the people of Standing Rock reservation to stop an oil pipeline from running under their land and endangering their water supply.

End of the Line: The Women Standing Rock, is 2021 documentary film directed by Shannon Kring.  The film tells the story of the Lakota Oyate and Dakota Oyate people of the Standing Rock Reservation in North and South Dakota and their fight to stop the pipeline. The run time of this film is 87 minutes. The film was shown at the 2022 Frozen River Film Festival.  I used a student pass to view the film remotely. 

The different subjects were the indigenous women who establish a peaceful camp in protest of the Dakota Access oil pipeline construction. The film brings into focus the problems with the pipeline and how it would affect their land, water, and lifestyle.

The best part of this film is that it captures this group over a period of months and years and portrays all the struggles that the women and people of this tribe are facing in great detail. I liked how the women shared personal stories and experiences that gave insight into different problems they continue to face because of the U.S government. The director used their personal experiences and stories to branch out and focus on smaller topics.  

The photography captures the beauty of the geography and the people who inhabit it, this helps deliver the message about how the path of the pipeline could destroy a culture and way of life.  The film captures the tactics used against the protesters, the history of the treatment of the people of Standing Rock, and the reasons they took a stand against this pipeline, and how people from around the country joined in their struggle.

The film also delves into history and I learned about the schools’ indigenous kids were forced to go to and how indigenous parents weren’t allowed to raise their own families until 1985. I also learned about the struggles the indigenous people faced while peacefully protesting, for example having their camp raided as a response to their protests.

The film perhaps could have added more specific information from the supporters of the Dakota Access pipeline, but overall it delivers an excellent message and is a visually and emotionally engaging experience.

I would recommend this for people who care or want to learn about issues indigenous people face and how non-violent protest is still a valuable tool for change in our country. 

Film website