I was glad to learn about Te Ata, and I read more about her after the movie. She was an exquisitely beautiful, gifted woman, and the love story is as moving as is her own story. But she deserved a better film than this one. Both leads are good in their parts as is the cast. It's when Kilcher is on stage and supposed to be telling Te Ata's stories that the film falls apart. She is awkward and unconvincing, as though she didn't feel the scenes or didn't practice them. They stop short of anything like the dignity and magic that we're supposed to see reflected in the audiences' awed faces. It's disappointing and even jarring. Instead, try the short film about her on YouTube where you see her beauty and confident dignity, hear the Indian voice and music in the background that soars and moves the heart. I'm glad the makers gave us a film about Te Ata; now another company needs to release a film that does her justice.
17 Reviews
Amazing story of a proud people.
tonymeads14 December 2021
Birds of different colors are all bids.
Horses of different colors are all horses.
People of different colors are all Human.
On a recent road trip with my wife, we traveled through South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, all with a large Indian population. We visited Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park, all amazing in their own right and I will always remember their beauty. But One of the most remarkable experiences of the trip was during a visit to an amazing sculpture one mile north of Deadwood South Dakota, commissioned by Kevin Costner. It is called Tatonka Meaning Buffalo, it depicts Indians hunting Buffalo by driving them of a bluff. As beautiful as the sculpture was, just as impressive was the Indian interpreter. I will always the pride he had as he talked to my wife and I about his people and his tribe the Lakota. As I watched this movie I kept thinking of that proud young man and how Te Ata expressed the same love and pride for their people.
Horses of different colors are all horses.
People of different colors are all Human.
On a recent road trip with my wife, we traveled through South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, all with a large Indian population. We visited Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park, all amazing in their own right and I will always remember their beauty. But One of the most remarkable experiences of the trip was during a visit to an amazing sculpture one mile north of Deadwood South Dakota, commissioned by Kevin Costner. It is called Tatonka Meaning Buffalo, it depicts Indians hunting Buffalo by driving them of a bluff. As beautiful as the sculpture was, just as impressive was the Indian interpreter. I will always the pride he had as he talked to my wife and I about his people and his tribe the Lakota. As I watched this movie I kept thinking of that proud young man and how Te Ata expressed the same love and pride for their people.
True life
sergelamarche29 October 2018
Fascinating movie because the star is so talented
Red-12516 November 2016
Te Ata (2016) was directed by Nathan Frankowski, The film follows the life of a remarkable woman, Te Ata Thompson Fisher of the Chickasaw Nation. It's worth checking Wikipedia to learn about Te Ata, who was a truly a unique woman.
Q'orianka Kilcher, who portrays Te Ata, is also a remarkable woman. Her father is of indigenous Peruvian descent. She spent many years in Hawaii, and she has absorbed the indigenous Hawaiian culture as well.
The film is historically accurate. The Chickasaw nation was unwillingly forced to become part of the state of Oklahoma. In the early 20th Century, prejudice against Native Americans was as strong in Oklahoma as it was throughout the United States.
What makes this movie so interesting was that Te Ata rose above these prejudices to present the stories of indigenous people to the rest of the world. She performed in the White House and before the King and Queen of England. She is the type of person whose life cries out for a film biography, and I believe this movie does her justice.
We saw Te Ata at the Rochester's excellent Little Theatre. It was presented as part of the wonderful High Falls Film Festival: Celebrating Women in Film. This movie is both entertaining and important. It will work better in a theatre than on the small screen. However, even on a small screen, it will repay your effort to seek it out and see it.
Q'orianka Kilcher, who portrays Te Ata, is also a remarkable woman. Her father is of indigenous Peruvian descent. She spent many years in Hawaii, and she has absorbed the indigenous Hawaiian culture as well.
The film is historically accurate. The Chickasaw nation was unwillingly forced to become part of the state of Oklahoma. In the early 20th Century, prejudice against Native Americans was as strong in Oklahoma as it was throughout the United States.
What makes this movie so interesting was that Te Ata rose above these prejudices to present the stories of indigenous people to the rest of the world. She performed in the White House and before the King and Queen of England. She is the type of person whose life cries out for a film biography, and I believe this movie does her justice.
We saw Te Ata at the Rochester's excellent Little Theatre. It was presented as part of the wonderful High Falls Film Festival: Celebrating Women in Film. This movie is both entertaining and important. It will work better in a theatre than on the small screen. However, even on a small screen, it will repay your effort to seek it out and see it.
A biopic portraying the highlights of the life of the Native American spokeswoman known as Te Ata
nancy_mcpherson8 March 2017
This is a very professionally and beautifully filmed movie. We saw it recently at the Native American Film Festival in Palm Springs. Very impressed by the high standards of accuracy and artistry required by the Chickasaw Nation, which funded and produced the film. It deserves distribution to mainstream theaters. Even if it were not a true story, it makes for great entertainment, and then it is doubly wonderful that it is a true story!!
Very well done
jimmyjoe58311 March 2018
A profound and stirring historical figure with a message America needs right now.
kenw-7671228 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The iconic true story of Te Ata, Mary Thompson Fisher, the Chickasaw storyteller and goodwill ambassador for the Indian tribes of the early 1900s is wonderfully and emotionally recreated by Producer Paul Sirmonds and Director Nathan Frankowski.
Te Ata was born into the post-Civil War era at a time when the U.S. Government had withdrawn government funds to and nullified treaties with the Indian tribes of Indian Territory as punishment for fighting on the side of the Confederacy. Te Ata, which means "Bearer of the Morning" was her childhood nickname and one she took as a stage name as she pursued a theatrical career which took her all the way to Broadway in the 1920s.
Though she was achieving success on the outside, an emptiness was growing on the inside. The white man who fell in love with her, Clyde Fisher was another guileless soul. It was he who helped her find her true voice and calling—to be an ambassador of goodwill by telling the stories of her people and the Indian tribes of America. Te Ata's talents led her to perform at the White House for President Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, with whom she became great friends. She even entertained the king and queen of England at the behest of the Roosevelts.
Te Ata's story, as well as Clyde's, is one of defeating the prejudices and animosities of the past by successfully finding a new common ground of friendship between the races. Her weapon was entertainment and her arrows were that of humor, wit, song and story. What a much-needed and inspirational example to point our nation out of the quagmire of racial tensions America faces.
Q'orianka Kilcher, of The New World fame, played the lead role with a sincere depth of emotion and strength that had me reaching for the tissues more than once. Gil Birmingham, who played her over-protective father, T.B. Thompson, was blessed by writers, Jeannie Barbour and Esther Luttrell with a golden apple role full of great one-liners and humorous reactions to unfolding events.
Kenneth Wood kenw7@att.net
Te Ata was born into the post-Civil War era at a time when the U.S. Government had withdrawn government funds to and nullified treaties with the Indian tribes of Indian Territory as punishment for fighting on the side of the Confederacy. Te Ata, which means "Bearer of the Morning" was her childhood nickname and one she took as a stage name as she pursued a theatrical career which took her all the way to Broadway in the 1920s.
Though she was achieving success on the outside, an emptiness was growing on the inside. The white man who fell in love with her, Clyde Fisher was another guileless soul. It was he who helped her find her true voice and calling—to be an ambassador of goodwill by telling the stories of her people and the Indian tribes of America. Te Ata's talents led her to perform at the White House for President Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, with whom she became great friends. She even entertained the king and queen of England at the behest of the Roosevelts.
Te Ata's story, as well as Clyde's, is one of defeating the prejudices and animosities of the past by successfully finding a new common ground of friendship between the races. Her weapon was entertainment and her arrows were that of humor, wit, song and story. What a much-needed and inspirational example to point our nation out of the quagmire of racial tensions America faces.
Q'orianka Kilcher, of The New World fame, played the lead role with a sincere depth of emotion and strength that had me reaching for the tissues more than once. Gil Birmingham, who played her over-protective father, T.B. Thompson, was blessed by writers, Jeannie Barbour and Esther Luttrell with a golden apple role full of great one-liners and humorous reactions to unfolding events.
Kenneth Wood kenw7@att.net
mostly true period piece
ksf-226 April 2022
A period piece, beginning in 1906, and all based on a true story. Mary thompson (Q'orianka Kilcher) is a little girl, part of the chickasaw nation. She has an active imagination, but no-one appreciates her creative spirit. Against her father's wishes, she heads off to the oklahoma college, where she learns to tell stories, monologues, that tell the strories of her people. Overcoming bigotry, family tragedies and more, she went on to perform for the roosevelts, as well as the king of england. She was quite accomplished! More info at wikipedia dot org ... directed by nathan frankowski. It's very well done! Currently on the netflix.
Beautifully Done
Sarah42328 November 2021
Epic
vikes-5243729 September 2017
Incredibly well shot, edited, sound production everything. My family enjoyed being a part of this film, and the two year wait was well worth. Amazing movie that displayed the Indian Nation and honered it's great Oklahoma heritage. Te ATA also included some well timed humor and pulled at the heart strings as well.
A Storyteller's Story....
edmo6617 November 2021
What an amazing film this was. I wish I had known about Te Ata and other historical events before watching this. It would have been very easy for this film to take the typical role of "every white man is bad" and that would have overshadowed the great performance of Q'orianka Kilcher and the filmography! You probably will need some tissues nearby when watching this!
FANTASTIC, EDUCATIONAL PORTRAYAL LIFE OF NATIVE AMERICANS
magical-kingdom7 February 2022
FANTASTIC, EDUCATIONAL FILM.... Following the life of a remarkable Native American spokeswoman, Te Ata Thompson Fisher of the Chickasaw Nation.
Historically accurate accounting of the Chickasaw nation being unwillingly forced to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Prejudice against Native Americans in the early 20th Century being still quite strong throughout the United States.
Te Ata rose above these prejudices to present the stories of indigenous people to the world. She was invited to perform at the White House for President Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, with whom she became great friends and personally honored in a national park. She even entertained the King and Queen of England at the behest of the Roosevelt's.
Biographical history shared after the film is quite interesting. Te Ata lived until 100 yrs old. During that time she married and continued with her native calling.
Historically accurate accounting of the Chickasaw nation being unwillingly forced to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Prejudice against Native Americans in the early 20th Century being still quite strong throughout the United States.
Te Ata rose above these prejudices to present the stories of indigenous people to the world. She was invited to perform at the White House for President Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, with whom she became great friends and personally honored in a national park. She even entertained the King and Queen of England at the behest of the Roosevelt's.
Biographical history shared after the film is quite interesting. Te Ata lived until 100 yrs old. During that time she married and continued with her native calling.
Tearjerker
hasanshariif7 November 2021
Slow at time but then hits home
awvknj19 April 2022
Beautiful depiction of the life and Times of Te Ata, and the experience of her people in the early 1900's onward. At times it felt a little bit like a Hallmark movie but when she started singing in performance the tears started flowing -what a beautiful voice -what a beautiful message. Well done.
Great movie great acting.
rockofcarol18 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The only problem, which I could not understand was with such a good production why in the world could they not have decent wigs. The white wig on her dad you could see his real hair all the way around. When she was talking to Clyde down by the river apparently they forgot his wig altogether. It was just odd.
Beautiful and Amazing!
Lohena056 September 2022
This was such a great surprise find and absolutely loved by my entire family. Such an important story to tell about the history and culture of indigenous people in this country. An excellent production and superb acting made this a gem of native cinema, the original and greatest storytellers.
Although so much of native American colonial history is dark and traumatic, this movie maintains a hopeful and family friendly presentation, but also without hiding or sugarcoating it. An amazing educational accomplishment.
Highly recommended for all age groups and especially for people looking to learn more about the Chickisaw nation and their history.
Although so much of native American colonial history is dark and traumatic, this movie maintains a hopeful and family friendly presentation, but also without hiding or sugarcoating it. An amazing educational accomplishment.
Highly recommended for all age groups and especially for people looking to learn more about the Chickisaw nation and their history.
Beautiful. Moving. A Triumph.
jenisteele20 August 2022
A radiant story sharing culture and history, and the beautiful courage of a woman follow her spirit and tell the story she was born to tell.
It is compelling and moving, with so much joy to be had, even amidst the tragedy of the time. There is triumph and struggle, family and beauty, love and life, and nature and wonder.
There is a beautifully articulate quote in this movie that almost entirely encapsulate the spirit of the film. Referencing the importance of educating others, one of the leading characters continues, "It is imperative to open peoples minds to new things. Ignorance breeds fear and the only way to conquer that is to make the unknown known." Te Ata lived for so much more than herself and I am glad her story was told here.
Highly highly recommend. Family, friends, date night, solo movie. Would watch again in a heartbeat.
It is compelling and moving, with so much joy to be had, even amidst the tragedy of the time. There is triumph and struggle, family and beauty, love and life, and nature and wonder.
There is a beautifully articulate quote in this movie that almost entirely encapsulate the spirit of the film. Referencing the importance of educating others, one of the leading characters continues, "It is imperative to open peoples minds to new things. Ignorance breeds fear and the only way to conquer that is to make the unknown known." Te Ata lived for so much more than herself and I am glad her story was told here.
Highly highly recommend. Family, friends, date night, solo movie. Would watch again in a heartbeat.
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