INVESTOR OPPORTUNITIES
Wind Chases the Sun is presented through documented testimony, transcripts, and rare documents released through Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This production is entirely based on documented fact and testimony.
Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere.
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
In the waning hours of the Clinton presidency, Federal Prisoner #89637-132 awaits the decision which could possibly grant his freedom. The support for his release in the past month has grown to incalculable numbers, as world leaders, archbishops, historians, celebrities, and activists raid the mail room and phone lines of the White House with their immense support for justice. On the other hand, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) pressures the executive office to keep this man behind bars by influencing the president with his ongoing scandal investigations, or as Louis Freeh (former Director of FBI) quotes his closet full of skeletons, just waiting to burst out. Over 500 former and current agents of the FBI march on the White House in protest to clemency. As the final moments near, presidential pardons are bestowed to former CIA Directors and fugitive billionaires, who in the past have supported the presidents favorable political campaigns. The final hours of January 21, 2001 concludes in pardons to 140 names, none of which are Native American activist, Leonard Peltier.
A near 1500 miles away from Washington D.C. rests the rural areas of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of South Dakota. This third world within the borders of the United States is shunned by the Government and often overlooked by the average American citizen. Here lie the remnants of the mighty Lakota Sioux Nation, now living in extreme poverty. Children go hungry and often cloth less, elderly freeze to death, alcoholism reigns and the suicide rate doubles that of the rest of the United States. These statistics are not new to the South Dakota Indian Reservations, but continue to linger on. It seems that these people are forgotten by the rest of the country, until of course, potential value is discovered in their land. The mid 1870s brought the discovery of gold and the all so honorable Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 was again broken in the interest of profit. The mid 20th century, brings this all so familiar strategy back , as high amounts of Uranium and other profitable minerals are discovered. Besides losing their spiritual landmarks to energy companies, the new uranium mines themselves would be a silent tool in the continued genocide of the Lakota people by contaminating 90% of the drinkable water on the Reservation. The strip mining of the sacred Paha Sapa had begun and the age of the new Plains Indian Wars is born.
This time is between 1973 and 1975, and the place is the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation where hundreds of Native Americans are being harassed and tormented because of their political affiliation. The tally of innocent murdered civilians grows past 60. These murders are committed by Death Squads under the regime of Tribal Chairman, Dick Wilson. These squads are funded and armed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to harass and eliminate the up rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM) who are there defending the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and attempting to stand in the way of United States corporate interest of strip mining the Black Hills. Tensions erupt with a shootout on the Jumping Bull Ranch between FBI and AIM members resulting in the deaths of two FBI agents and one American Indian. The day after this tragic event, Tribal Chairman Dick Wilson signs over 133,000 acres of the Pine Ridge Reservation for Uranium and Mineral exploration and mining.
Indian Activist, Leonard Peltier is convicted for the murder of the two agents and now serves consecutive life sentences in Federal Prison. Every aspect of his prosecution is debunked by the release of crucial documents withheld from his defense. Despite proof that he is convicted on a combination of fabricated and suppressed evidence as well as false testimony, he continues to languish behind bars.
This very controversial and important story is the driving force behind the crew of Wind Chases the Sun. The passion to expose this injustice to the masses, runs in the veins of all members of this production, in hope that justice can and will be served. Preston Randolph, along with his lead researcher, Dan Battaglia, are the driving force behind the documentary script. Accumulating hands-on knowledge garnered from extensive research and interviews Randolph exposes new & highly relevant information concerning the atrocities of the Peltier case, to aid viewers in finding the truth.
The extreme poverty of the Pine Ridge Reservation, along with the never-before-heard testimonies, will be projected on screen through a revolutionary High-Definition Production. The film will be shot with the prestigious RED ONE Cameras as well as aerial footage from a Cineflex HD camera. The horrific details of the Reign of Terror and the plight of Leonard Peltier through the judiciary and correctional systems of the United States will be presented through vintage archival footage and groundbreaking, accurate and violent reenactments. The Reenactments will be recorded to extreme detail and created with every historical aspect in mind. On set advisors will be individuals from both sides of the case who have first hand experienced these events. Wind Chases the Sun will not only educate the masses of this outrageous case, but also will send the audience away from the theater shocked and outraged from what they have just witnessed.
Alongside the key storyline of this film, other events and personalities will be exposed. These other personal accounts will intertwine around the Leonard Peltier case, and give a clearer understanding of the human aspect involved in this story. These events not only affect the life of Leonard Peltier, but were elemental in the tensions on the Reservation during the Reign of Terror.
Parallel to the powerful reenactments, the film will flow with first hand, never before heard testimonies from witnesses of the case. The interviews range from first hand accounts including former FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Bureau of Prisons (BOP) officers, to civilians and morticians of the Pine Ridge Reservation, to attorneys, pathologists, politicians, authors, and historians who are extremely knowledgably about this case and the events surrounding it.
A main goal of this film production is to be able to bring the audience as close to reality as possible to the human emotions and tragedies of this time period and case. An elemental side story of this film surrounds the brief and saddening story of a young Lakota girl during the Reign of Terror. Her short life was immensely affected by extreme poverty and through these adversities, she found refuge with a missionary school where she built a strong relation with her teachers, one being a young, honest BIA Agent. Still today he is affected by this little girls life and vows to be her voice. Her brief life ended when she hitched a ride with a Federal Police Officer, who raped, tortured and shot her twice in the head. Her story is one of the many tragic tales and forgotten lives that occupy the unmarked graves on the Pine Ridge Reservation because of the Reign of Terror.
June 26, 1975, amidst these horrific events, Special Agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams seek to serve an out-standing arrest warrant and purposely entered the area where AIM is camped. These two ill-advised and un-prepared young agents enter a documented war zone. A firefight ensues between these agents and the AIM, who are convinced these unmarked and unidentified individuals are members of the murdering death squads. This very violent and traumatizing conflict will be reenacted to perfection, offering a fresh vision of what happened on that day, culminating in the deaths of the two FBI Agents and one Native American.
Within a year, Leonard Peltier is extradited from Canada because of bogus affidavits fabricated by the FBI, and is tried for the murder of the two FBI Agents. During the trial, all evidence pertaining to the Reign of Terror and the tensions on the Reservation is not allowed. Coerced testimonies are pressured and approved by the FBI, and evidence proving Peltiers innocence, including negative ballistics tests are withheld. An all-white jury convicts, Leonard Peltier to two consecutive life sentences.
Leonard Peltier is now serving his thirty-fourth year in federal prison, where another major aspect of the film takes place. During his incarceration, the railroading of Peltier continues by the FBI. These shocking real life stories take the audience inside the walls of Federal Prison and expose a side of this case that has never before been told. Finally this truth is brought to life by none other than those who lived it. During his prison term, Peltier endure an ongoing persecution with few ears open to hear his voice of truth. New testimony exposes this extreme injustice and chronicles the mental cruelty he an innocent man denied freedom continues to suffer.
Alongside the powerful testimonies and reenactments, a moving atmospheric/ambient score with the addition of 3-4 songs specifically recorded for this production will play a major role in this film. The ambient score will include compositions of beautifully recorded indigenous chants, and female hymns to draw out the emotion surrounding this powerful story. This is rare to the documentary genre, but it is something that will not only go along with the artistic style of this film, but will bring the audience into the story even more.
Producer, Preston Randolph and his research/production team have acquired an immense amount of support and participation by individuals on both sides of this case, who now feel the information they hold deserves to be released. Leonard Peltier has given Preston Randolph, his personal and legal consent to produce this film and to expose this case. Doing so, he is hopeful that this film may bring enough attention to his case, to bring him home. Every member of the production crew is passionate and devoted to this case. A growing grass root movement among the Indigenous community glows with hope that this production can not only help there imprisoned warrior, but will bring light to the ongoing atrocities on the Reservations.
Wind Chases the Sun will expose this entire controversial and misunderstood story in a uniquely-artistic style focusing on breathtaking cinematography, aerial footage, and a moving atmospheric score. Groundbreaking new testimonies, violent reenactments, and carefully researched archival footage will bring the facts of this story to life in a way that is hoped will ultimately make a huge difference in lives unjustly interrupted.
Cactus Productions as any production company, relies on its production crew. The passionate and talented crew is led by a very visual and enthusiastic, Preston Randolph. He has been involved in film production for over six years and has assembled a crew ranging from filmmakers who have worked on Academy Award winning productions, to Emmy and Grammy winning artists. Preston Randolph produces films that inspire, educate and bring new perspective on controversial issues, new light on historical events, and dramatic reality of the real world.
Alongside his filmmaking career, Randolph dedicates the remainder of his time in being a political activist for social justice and volunteering his time in helping those in need. He has organized an annual charity drive for the people of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Joslyn Barnes is a screenwriter and Emmy ® nominated producer. Among the films Barnes has produced or exec produced since co-founding Louverture Films with actor Danny Glover are the César-nominated “Bamako” , Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner and Oscar and Emmy nominated “ Trouble the Water” , the Oscar shortlisted “ Soundtrack for a Revolution ”, and the forthcoming “ The Black Power Mixtape” . She associate produced Elia Suleiman's “ The Time That Remains ”, and the 2010 Cannes Palme d'Or winner “Unlce Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives ” by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. She is currently producing “ The Message ”, a feature documentary with Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein, connected with the climate crisis.
Q'orianka Kilcher has emerged as one of the premiere young actresses in the industry after her portrayal of Pocahontas, opposite Colin Farrell and Christian Bale in Terrence Malick's " The New World ". Her performance won her the National Board of Reviews Best Breakthrough Performance of 2006 and the 2006 Alma Award for best Latin American actress in a feature film, as well as numerous nominations and rave reviews.
Aside from her award-winning acting career, Qorianka is an amazing singer /songwriter, but also a committed human rights and environmental activist. She has been a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at many international conferences and events for organizations such as Amnesty International , the IFG (International Forum on Globalization), Amazon Watch IFIP (International Funders for Indigenous Peoples) and The United Nations .
Q'orianka is bringing a vast range of talent to the production of "Wind Chases the Sun: The Leonard Peltier Story" , but also a true understanding and passion for Indigenous Rights and justice.
Ray Zimmerman is a 30 year veteran of Hollywood who has progressed through the industry as Accountant to Production Manager to Producer to Studio Executive.
He was the Sr. VP at Sony/Columbia/ Tristar Pictures where he directly
oversaw approximately 100 feature films including: Ali , Da Vinci Code , Pursuit
of Happyness , Jerry Maguire , As Good As It Gets , Spider-Man 2 , Godzilla , Memoirs of a Geisha , Hitch , Vertical Limit and many others.
In 2010 Ray worked on the new film Cowboys and Aliens and is now very excited to be part of Wind Chases the Sun and the campaign to free Leonard Peltier.
Ray has been a long-time supporter of Leonard Peltier and is very hopeful that this production will bring a major change
of awareness to the Peltier case and the Reign of Terror on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Ray worked as a Production Manager on Incident at Oglala .
Ray is a very powerful and exciting addition to our talented crew.
Alison Ellwood is an accomplished editor and producer who has been part of several award winning and Academy Award-nominated productions. She has partnered with Academy Award winning producer, Alex Gibney , at their film company Jigsaw Productions .
Alison edited the Oscar-nominated feature " Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room ", as well as editing and producing " Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson ." She recently finished producing " Casino Jack and the United States of Money " with Alex Gibney. Her work outside of Jigsaw Productions includes producing Morgan Spurlocks hit television show " 30 Days ", for which she received a PGA Award , as well producing and editing R.J. Cutlers Emmy award-winning series " American High ."
Alison brings a vast amount of knowledge and talent to the production of " Wind Chases the Sun " and will add a pristine touch to the final film.
In addition to being one of the most acclaimed actors of our time, with a career spanning 30 years from “ Places in the Heart” , “ The Color Purple” , the “Lethal Weapon ” series and the award-winning “ To Sleep with Anger ”, Danny Glover has also executive produced numerous projects for film, television and theatre. Among these are “ Freedom Song ”, “Get on the Bus ”, “ Deadly Voyage” , “Buffalo Soldiers ”, “The Saint of Fort Washington ” and “To Sleep with Anger ”. The recipient of countless awards for his humanitarian and advocacy efforts on behalf of economic and social justice causes, Glover is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Amnesty International .
Shepard Fairey is an American contemporary artist, illustrator and graphic designer who became known for his "Obey" graphics . The Institute of Contemporary Art calls him one of today's most known and most influential street artists. In 2008, Shepard's work became world renowned after he released his Barack Obama "Hope" poster. His work is showcased in exhibits across the country, including the Smithsonian , the Los Angeles County Museum of Art , The New York Museum of Modern Art , among others.
Daniel Battaglia is from Edison, New Jersey and graduated from Kean University in May of 2009 with a degree in History and is a member of the Kean University Historical Society . Specializing in Native American Studies; more specifically, the Leonard Peltier case and the history of the American Indian Movement, Daniel has studied Leonard Peltier and his case since he first learned of it in 2001. He is currently working on his first publication which will cover Peltier's case as well as his (Daniel's) experiences since joining the Free Peltier Movement .
Dan Wilken is the ultimate post production multi-hyphenate: editor , vfx editor , finisher and technical guru . Dan has been part of several prestigous productions including Food, Inc and Who Killed the Electric Car . He has provided cutting-edge editorial, transparent visual effects, studio-quality finishing work and digital intermediates for demanding film and television productions. He has become an indispensable asset at every stage of production from writing, storyboarding, photography, original acquisition, and editorial through finishing, mixing and delivery.
He is an expert and battle-tested in Final Cut , Avid , Photoshop , After Effects , and Shake . But his true talent is adapting quickly to a projects unforeseen challenges, whether they be software features, hardware limitations or story holes. Directors and producers turn to Dan, ... because he can. He has been actively involved with the ever-evolving digital cinema for years, from the nascent days of Premiere 4.2 through the dynamic Red One camera . Along the way he has cut a variety of independent projects, onlined a dozen digital intermediates, keyed thousands of backgrounds and match moved and roto-ed, well, more frames than he cares to remember. He has color-corrected dozens of deliveries in Avid, FCP, and Color, and been a blazingly-fast on-set editor providing immediate feedback to directors and cinematographers.
Before working in the industry, Dan did print layout work for several publications in LA and San Antonio, after cutting his teeth on Photoshop and Vector software at print shops straight out of college. He earned his degree in Fine Art , Sculpture and New Media , from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1998. He also studied printmaking , photography , installation and sound .
Gray Wolf along with his partner Alfred Panther run Graywolf productions , the only Native American owned company that does casting, wardrobe and props for motion pictures as well as television. Gray Wolf and Alfred are ablely assisted by the two other partners of Graywolf Productions, David Mayfield and Aaron Tenbears .
Graywolf Productions has worked on the movie "Hidalgo" where they made all of the Native American props as well as working on "Pirates of the Caribbean" where they made the bone hair pin in Johnny Depp's hair as well as other items.
They also worked on the last three seasons of "Wild West Tech" on the history channel as well as working as consultants, casting, wardrobe and props on the mini-series "Conquest of America" , where they along with Jeanine Weist, were nominated for an Emmy award.
Founded by Ron Chapple , Aerial Filmworks is the result of Rons 20+ years shooting aerial images and the new Cineflex HD gyro-stabilized technology . We own and operate gyro-stabilized Cineflex HD camera systems "for entertainment, advertising and corporate clients. Aerial Filmworks has extensive helicopter filming experience, full-time Cineflex camera operators, tech support and over 25 years of location work.
Aerial Filmworks will be in charge of the Aerial HD Footage for the film. To see a demo real of Aerial Filmworks work go to Aerial Filmworks Demo Reel .
Harvey Arden has been a long time supporter of Leonard Peltier and indigenous cultures. For 23 years he was a staff writer for National Geographic and since then has authored or edited several books including Wisdomkeepers , Noble Red Man, Travels in a Stone Canoe , Have you Thought of Leonard Peltier Lately? , Dreamkeepers , and Leonard Peltier's autobiography Prison Writings: My Life is My Sun Dance .
Harvey is a very talented writer and editor and will be a valuable asset to the film production of Wind Chases the Sun .
Mark Gifford is a Wyoming native and graduate of the University of Wyoming (B.S. 1978). He is a law graduate of Stanford University (J.D. 1981). Mark is engaged in practice of law (litigation/mediation) in Casper, WY.
George Blitch is a talented individual in several different forms of art. George started the publishing company Have you Thought Publishing with Harvey Arden after they teamed up and wrote the book, Have you Thought of Leonard Peltier Lately? . He has been part of several published books including White Buffalo Teachings , and Noble Red Man .
George also is owner of a video production company called Son of a Blitch Productions and is a drummer/vocalist for his band Dead P.A.
George is a long time supporter of Leonard Peltier and will be a help in many aspects of this production.
Peter Coyote is a well known actor, author, writer, director and activist who has been part of over 55 films including: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Patch Adams, Erin Brockovich and A Walk to Remember . Peter has had a very illustrious career in the television industry as well, with roles in shows including: Law and Order, Deadwood, Brothers and Sisters and The Twilight Zone .
Besides his talent in front of the camera, Peter is known through the documentary world for his ability to evoke the transcendent nature of the human condition. He has taken part in critically acclaimed documentaries such as the recent Ken Burn's film The National Parks, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, National Geographic: The Battle for Midway, Titanic: Breaking New Ground, and Ken Burn's The West .
Alongside Coyotes success in film, he has a heart for activism and fighting against injustice. Along with author Peter Mathiessen, he is one of two non-native advisors to political prisoner Leonard Peltier, a close personal friend. He is an active environmentalist and political activist who stands for films of meaning and causes for change.
The production crew of Wind Chases the Sun is creating a very powerful film, expressed through breathtaking RED cinematography including aerial footage , and collecting never before heard, groundbreaking testimonies that expose this very corrupt case like never before. The production team is devoted in bringing the mass audience a product that is a visually stunning reality of the Leonard Peltier case and the Reign of Terror.
The production of Wind Chases the Sun will include very violent and emotional reenactments to bring the story of Leonard Peltier and the Reign of Terror as close to reality for the audience as possible.
Tom Morello is a Grammy Award winning American guitarist best known for his work with the bands Rage Against the Machine , Audioslave , and as The Nightwatchman . He is known for his use of guitar effects, his innovative guitar solos, his use of the tapping and his heavy-riffs. He was ranked #26 on Rolling Stone 's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
Morello has been a long time activist and supporter of Leonard Peltier.
Mark Brandon Hill is a composer specializing in the combination of ambient/atmospheric soundscapes, epic orchestrations and world/ethnic performances for film and TV. His work has best been described as a blended mix of popular film composers like Mark Isham (Crash) and Hans Zimmer (Gladiator), to internationally known artists like Sigur Ros , Explosions In The Sky and Peter Gabriel just to name a few.
His composing credits include a wide range of award winning documentaries and feature films including " Children of War ", which recently won the Cinema For Peace Prize, and " Rounds ", for which he received a nomination for Best Original Score at this past years Indie Film Fest.
Throughout Marks career he has had the opportunity to work with several established Hollywood sound supervisors including Dean Beville (Desperado, Robocop) and Tim Rakoczy (Sin City, Grindhouse) and sound mixer, Sergio Reyes (From Dusk Till Dawn, Rudy). Mark also works with his now friend and mentor, Grammy Award winning producer/bassist, Tommy Shannon (Stevie Ray Vaughn).
In addition to scoring, Mark also has an extensive background in sound design with a film degree from the University of Texas . This lead him to work with critically acclaimed director, Robert Rodriguez , where he earned sound editing credits on such films as " Once Upon a Time in Mexico " and " Spy Kids 3 ".
Mark has been a long time supporter of Indigenous Rights and in addition to his other musical talents; he has learned to play the Native American Flute. Mark will give " Wind Chases the Sun " the beautiful atmospheric/ambient score in which Producer, Preston Randolph has envisioned.
Lindsay Fuller is an Alabama bred, Seattle-based songwriter who has been described as “ Flannery O'ʼConnor with a telecaster” ( Twang Nation ) on account of her gritty and affecting lyrics. Her latest album " The Last Light I See ", a follow up to her debut " Lindsay Fuller and The Cheap Dates ", was released in June 2010 and contains a song she wrote for Leonard Peltier entitled “" Big White Lie ".” She hopes the song will shed light on Leonardʼ's story, and the fact that he is still being held prisoner despite the evidence of his innocence. In November 2010 she had the opportunity to open up for The Indigo Girls (co-founders of the native american led initiative Honor the Earth) on the last leg of their east coast tour. Lindsay and her band will begin work on a new album in March 2011.
Stevie Salas is a Native American Musician and Producer best known for his very unique blend of guitar work and musical composition. He has toured with notable names as Mick Jagger , Rod Stewart and George Clinton . He is recognized as one of the most talented guitarists performing this day and will use his talents and expertise in the music genre to bring the most powerful soundtrack and score to Wind Chases the Sun.
The visual aspect of this production will be equally matched by its powerful score featuring moving atmospheric tones covering the emotional stories around the case to the intense, raging beats of the violent and shocking abuse, rapes, firefights and murders that created the time period we know as the Reign of Terror .
Scott McKenzie is an American Musician and Songwriter best known for his 1960s hit song "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in your Hair)" . This song was a theme to the famous Monterey Pop Festival where Scott performed. Throughout Scotts career he has performed and written songs with his long time friend John Phillips ( Mamas and the Papas ) and in 1988 they wrote the Beach Boys #1 hit song " Kokomo ".
Scott has been a long time supporter of Leonard Peltier and is proud of his endorsement of this very important film.
