Sept. 1, 2016

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Red Willow Production Co., an affiliate of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe,

ventured offshore in 2003 via an exploration agreement with Houston

Energy and W.G. Helis in the Gulf of Mexico.

Can Energy Development Empower Native Americans

While Powering the United States?

(Lincoln, Nebraska): Provocative, timely and unique. The documentary

Red Power Energy, offers rare insights into the ideological battle shaping modern Indian Country. Red Power Energy is a Vision Maker Media and Rocky Mountain PBS original production.

For the tribes, the question of how to develop energy resources has created new conflicts--between tradition and progress, and between the material needs of today and the potentially negative consequences of tomorrow.

Red Power Energy is a documentary film that combines engaging storytelling with in-depth journalism. Told solely from the Native perspective, with a nearly all-Native film crew and all-Native Advisory Council, the film features American Indian tribes from North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. First-person stories illustrate the complex realities of American Indian reservations grappling with how to balance their natural resources with their traditional beliefs.

Tribal lands are a microcosm of today's controversial energy and climate change debate. Few people are aware that American reservations contain 10 percent of America's renewable energy potential, 20 percent of known oil and gas reserves and 30 percent of the coal reserves west of the Mississippi. As our demand for energy increases, so does our pursuit of untapped resources, both below the ground and above.

Native people are in the midst of an extraordinary resurgence in the energy debate, having previously been the victims of environmental degradation and Federal mismanagement. Many tribes are challenging long-held stereotypes, asserting their sovereign right to control their lands, and implementing strategies to develop their natural and mineral resources without further disrupting their environment.

Red Power Energy offers a rare glimpse into Indian Country while further advancing a deeper understanding of the energy debate.

About Vision Maker Media

Vision Maker Media is celebrating 40 years as your premier source for quality American Indian and Alaska Native educational and home videos. All aspects of our programs encourage the involvement of young people to learn more about careers in the media--to be the next generation of storytellers. Vision Maker Media envisions a world changed and healed by understanding Native stories and the public conversations they generate.

With funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), Vision Maker Media's Public Media Content Fund awards support to projects with a Native American theme and significant Native involvement that ultimately benefits the entire public media community. Vision Maker Media, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) empowers and engages Native People to tell stories. www.visionmakermedia.org

Crew Bios:

LISA OLKEN, DIRECTOR/EDITOR/

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Lisa D. Olken is a veteran filmmaker who produces, directs, writes and edits award-winning programs about history, art and the environment and how these impact people on a daily basis. Olken is dedicated to preserving and presenting stories from diverse populations. Among Olken's more than 50 prestigious honors are 24 regional Emmy awards, 10 Colorado Broadcasters Association awards and six national awards including two Wranglers, which is the highest honor for western-related issues.

LARRY T. POURIER (OGLALA LAKOTA), DIRECTOR

PRODUCER/RESEARCHER

Larry T. Pourier has worked in the film, music and theater industry for more than 25 years. His film credits include: Imprint, Skins, Good Meat, Spiral of Fire, and Stone Child. We Shall Remain (PBS), New World (Feature), Dreamkeeper (ABC), Skinwalkers (PBS), Lewis & Clark (IMAX), The Witness (IMAX), Crazy Horse (TNT), Lakota Woman (TNT), Buffalo Soldiers (TNT), Tecumseh (TNT), and Doe Boy (Indie). His latest achievement was to help develop and produce an ongoing Native American public history program for historical Colonial Williamsburg, the first in their history. When not working on a film project he lives in Thunder Valley, on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

CHARLES "BOOTS" KENNEDYE (KIOWA),

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Charles "Boots" Kennedye serves as a Documentary Producer for Vision Maker Media after working at The Oklahoma Network (OETA) over the last decade. Kennedye has headed many major projects with the Public Television station and his work has won multiple Heartland Emmy Awards. In his spare time, he carved out a second career as a sports photographer working for the NBA Thunder Basketball team since its 2008 inaugural season. Kennedye serves as Producer on the Vision Maker Media original series Growing Native and also directs Vision Maker Media's Creative Services division. Boots has played a lead role in more than 150 productions and won numerous accolades from many national press associations including The Oklahoma Broadcasters Association, Society of Professional Journalists, Dallas Press Club Association, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Associated Press, and the National Education Television Association. Kennedye was Director of Photography for Urban Rez.

Additional Information Regarding
Red Power Energy (1/60):

Type of Feed: Station Feed
NOLA Code: REDP
Feed Date/Time: Start: Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016 - 13:00 ET
End: Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016 - 14:00 ET (HD03)

Credits:
This program is produced by Rocky Mountain PBS for a presentation of Vision Maker Media, with major funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Funding:
Funding for Red Power Energy was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Pacific Mountain Network.

Film Pages:

Official Website:
http://www.rmpbs.org/redpowerenergy/

Vision Maker Media:
http://www.visionmakermedia.org/films/red-power-energy

Contact: Susan Hartmann * (402) 472-8607, shartmann@netad.unl.edu