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Independent Film Series: "Pure Grit" (2021)

Join us for an evening of a film and conversation about a thrilling tale of extreme bareback horse racing, and a love story. Pure Grit chronicles three years in the life of a young Native American bareback horse racer.

"Growing up queer on Wyoming's Wind River reservation, Sharmaine Weed has faced more than her share of troubles-but her love of extreme bareback horse racing has sustained her throughout. A ten-time undefeated champion until she's forced to give up racing to care for her sister after a horse racing accident, Sharmaine finds solace and support in her burgeoning relationship with Savannah, a sparkling city girl who moves to the rez to help her care for her family. When the two young women decide relocate to the city to escape the increasingly toxic atmosphere at home, Sharmaine finally earns enough cash to realize her dream of buying a horse of her own and begins plotting her racing comeback. But the path we choose doesn't always take us where we want to go... as Sharmaine and Savannah soon discover. Filmed over the course of three years in the breathtaking Wyoming landscape, this affecting documentary from Kim Bartley (The Revolution Will Not Be Televised) is an exuberant tale of love, loss, and resilience among the Native American community."

—From Kim Bartley, director & writer

92 minutes (1 hour 32 minutes) in length.