Reservation Redemption to screen at Angeles Documentary Film Festival

Reservation Redemption, an award-winning documentary about Native man Chief Marchand Rice’s journey from life without parole to prison mentor, will screen Aug. 30 at the Angeles Documentary Film Festival in Los Angeles. The film also spotlights Native incarceration, cultural loss and reentry, with a public TV broadcast planned later this year.

Why it matters: - Reservation Redemption centers Native incarceration in Washington State and connects one man’s story to broader issues of cultural loss, generational trauma and reentry. - The film’s festival run and planned public television distribution point to growing visibility for Native-made documentaries about prison reform and spiritual healing.

What happened: - Reservation Redemption will screen Aug. 30, 2026, at the Angeles Documentary Film Festival in Los Angeles. - The documentary follows Chief Marchand Rice of the Colville tribe, who was convicted as a teenager, sentenced to life in prison without parole, and later became a leader and mentor inside Washington State prisons. - The film is co-directed and co-produced by Blake Pickens, a Chickasaw filmmaker, and Brenda Fisher, a Yakama descendant.

The details: - The documentary traces Rice’s turning point in prison, when Kalispel spiritual leader Francis Cullooyah asked him, “Who do you want to be when you grow up?” - The film describes Rice’s “Red Road” to redemption and his focus on Native culture and spiritual healing. - Reservation Redemption examines the prison system, Native culture and the families affected by systemic oppression through research data, interviews with activists, historical recounts and expert sit-downs. - The filmmakers say the project aims to show how the loss of culture has affected Native families and how Rice became an activist for Native spiritual rights while incarcerated. - Fisher says the film is meant to educate audiences about the power of Native culture. - Pickens says prison reform has long been personal to him because of his family history and the normalization of incarceration in his community. - The film is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association. - Vision Maker Media’s Public Media Fund for Research and Development funded the project. - Vision Maker Media will distribute the film for broadcast on public television later this year. - The project has won top prizes at the Spokane Int’l Film Festival, deadCenter Film Festival, London Women Film Festival, Paris Women CineFest and Sweden International Film Festival. - The film has also screened at Seattle Int’l FF, Dances with Films, NatiVisions, Imagine This Women’s FF, Portugal Int’l FF, Canada Independent, Inthrive, Poulsbo and other events. - The film has received positive feedback from the Innocence Project and Native organizations including United Indians and Chief Seattle Club.

Between the lines: - Reservation Redemption frames Rice’s story as both personal redemption and a broader critique of how the justice system affects Native communities. - The film’s emphasis on culture and spiritual rights suggests the filmmakers see identity preservation as part of rehabilitation, not separate from it. - Fisher’s and Pickens’ backgrounds give the project a strong Native-led perspective and a direct connection to the communities depicted.

What's next: - The Angeles Documentary Film Festival screening is the next public stop for the film. - More information on screenings is available at ReservationRedemption.com. - Vision Maker Media is set to air the film on public television later this year.

The bottom line: - Reservation Redemption uses one Native man’s life to argue that culture, spirituality and reentry support can change the path from incarceration to leadership.