Non Western

Seated in their car, a man and a woman talk about gender roles among the Cheyenne people. He’s Cheyenne, but she is not. It’s a topic they need to talk about, because they’re about to get married.

Thaddeus didn’t embrace his background until later in life but now he does so with full conviction: he’s stricter than the Native priest, who says that traditions inevitably change with the times. Thaddeus’ fiancée Nanci, an independent and educated woman, loves him and his culture very much, but her love is making serious demands of her ability to adapt.

Laura Plancarte patiently films the dynamics and clashes between the two cultures and sexes. The camera captures the emotion and wordless communication, slowly revealing changes in relationships. Interspersed with spectacular views of the Montana landscape, Non Western examines the national and personal traumas at the root of the problem, and how they can be healed.