Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae | |
---|---|
Genre | Documentary |
Directed by | Yvonne Russo |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of episodes | 4 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | Yvonne Russo |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | Hulu |
Release | November 26, 2024 |
Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae is an American documentary series directed and produced by Yvonne Russo. It follows the life and murder of Anna Mae Aquash, a First Nations activist and Mi'kmaq tribal member from Nova Scotia, Canada who moved to Boston in 1962.
It premiered on November 26, 2024, on Hulu.
The film explores the life and murder of Annie Mae Aquash, who fought for Indigenous rights in the 1960s and 1970s, with her murder going unsolved for 30 years. It also explores politics in the 1970s, and chronicles a present-day investigation by Aquash's daughter. [1] [2]
In August 2022, it was announced Onyx Collective had greenlit a documentary series then titled Ring of Fire: The Life of Annie Mae Aquash revolving around Anna Mae Aquash, with Yvonne Russo set to direct. [3] The series additionally received a grant from the International Documentary Association, and support from The Redford Center. [4] [5]
Leonard Peltier is a Native American activist and a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM) who was convicted of two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of two Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in a June 26, 1975, shooting on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He was sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment and has been imprisoned since 1976. Peltier became eligible for parole in 1993. As of 2024, Peltier is incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary, Coleman, in Florida.
News From Indian Country was a privately owned newspaper, published once a month in the United States, founded by the journalist Paul DeMain (Ojibwe/Oneida) in 1986, who served as a managing editor and an owner. It was the oldest continuing, nationally distributed publication that was not owned by a tribal government. It offered national, cultural and regional sections, and "the most up-to-date pow-wow directory in the United States and Canada," according to its website. The newspaper was offered both in print and electronic form and has subscribers throughout the United States, Canada and 17 other countries.
Dennis J. Banks was a Native American activist, teacher, and author. He was a longtime leader of the American Indian Movement, which he co-founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1968 to represent urban Indians. He was a pre-eminent spokesman for Native Americans. His protests won government concessions and created national attention and sympathy for the oppression and endemic social and economic conditions for Native Americans.
The American Indian Movement of Colorado, also called AIM-International Confederation of Autonomous Chapters, is a breakaway group from the American Indian Movement.
Annie Mae Aquash was a First Nations activist and Mi'kmaq tribal member from Nova Scotia, Canada. Aquash moved to Boston in the 1960s and joined other First Nations and Indigenous Americans focused on education, resistance, and police brutality against urban Indigenous peoples. She was a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and participated in several occupations with them. In December 1975, she was kidnapped and murdered in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation by members of AIM. Her body was later found in February 1976. In the 2000s, several members of AIM were convicted of kidnapping and murdering her.
Ezra Benjamin Edelman is an American documentary producer and director. He won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming for directing O.J.: Made in America (2016). He has also directed a documentary on the musician Prince that remains unreleased.
Destin Yori Daniel Cretton is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the drama films Short Term 12 (2013), The Glass Castle (2017), Just Mercy (2019) as well as the Marvel Studios film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Richard Two Elk is a Native American combat veteran, journalist and civil rights activist. He is perhaps best known for participation in the Wounded Knee incident in the 1970s and for being a radio host.
Darlene Nichols, also known by the names Kamook, Ka-Mook, Kamook Nichols and Ka-Mook Nichols, is the name of a former AIM member and Native American protester. She is best known for her role in the American Indian Movement for organizing The Longest Walk, and for serving as a key material witness in the trials of Arlo Looking Cloud, Richard Marshall, and John Graham that ultimately led to the conviction of two AIM members in the murders of Anna Mae Aquash.
Arlo Looking Cloud is a former Native American activist. He is best known for his involvement in the murder of fellow American Indian Movement activist Anna Mae Aquash. He was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison.
John Graham is a Canadian, Yukoner, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations citizen, and former Native American activist. He is best known for being convicted for the murder of fellow American Indian Movement activist Anna Mae Aquash.
Theda Nelson Clarke, born Theda Rose Nelson (1924-2011), was a Native American activist. She is perhaps best known for her involvement in the Wounded Knee incident with the murder of fellow American Indian Movement activist Anna Mae Aquash.
Thelma Conroy-Rios was a Native American activist. She is perhaps best known for her involvement in the Wounded Knee incident and for her involvement in the murder of fellow American Indian Movement activist Anna Mae Aquash. Rios was initially charged with murder but later agreed to a plea deal and pled guilty to accessory in the kidnapping of Aquash and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Aftershock is a 2022 American documentary film directed and produced by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee. It follows Omari Maynard and Bruce McIntyre, whose partners died due to childbirth complications, which were preventable, as they fight for justice.
Onyx Collective is a content brand owned and operated by Disney Entertainment, which primarily consists of projects from creators of color and other underrepresented groups. The brand was first launched on May 17, 2021, with several projects under development for Hulu and Disney+.
Reasonable Doubt is an American legal drama television series created by Raamla Mohamed for Hulu. The series stars Emayatzy Corinealdi as a corporate defense lawyer navigating challenging high-profile cases. The series also stars McKinley Freeman, Tim Jo, Angela Grovey, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Aderinsola Olabode, and Michael Ealy. Reasonable Doubt is Onyx Collective's first scripted television series. It premiered on September 27, 2022. On April 17, 2023, it was renewed for a second season which premiered on August 22, 2024. The series generally received positive reviews from critics. In November 2024, the series was renewed for a third season.
UnPrisoned is a comedy-drama television series created by Tracy McMillan, starring Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo. The series is produced by Onyx Collective. It premiered on Hulu on March 10, 2023. UnPrisoned received generally positive reviews from critics. In November 2023, it was renewed for a second season that premiered on July 17, 2024. In September 2024, the series was cancelled after two seasons.