Matt Litwiller
editor / director
Language of the Unheard was co-directed and produced by Matt Litwiller with Jacqueline Reyno during their senior year at Northwestern University. It has screened at a number of film festivals, most notably at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival. Cinematographer Travis LaBella was also honored by The American Society of Cinematographers with the Student Heritage Award for his work on the project.
- summary -
The Pine Ridge Reservation is home to the Oglala Sioux. Located in the southwest corner of South Dakota, the Lakota-speaking Natives have one of the most fascinating, controversial, and difficult histories a group of people have ever told. Yet, these are not the only stories to come out of Pine Ridge. The Oglala Lakota's incredibly rich culture and history are full of fascinating traditions and stories that have shaped the identity of the people and their home. Language of the Unheard is a documentary looking to capture just a few of these stories, both of struggle and of identity, in hopes of giving a voice to a group of people who have not had one.