Natives

Following a moving encounter with Native American culture in 1992, I have continuously explored it, trying to better understand it and to share it’s beauty and richness with others by making documentaries, a webdoc, social networks…

I created the association Plumes & Regards to help publicize the battles of autochtone people, who by their voices claim loud and strong: “if nobody fights to preserve our mother-earth, who will do it ?”

Within Native American communities, I find values already familiar to me, as many are present in the Vietnamiese culture I experienced with my maternal grandfather: respect for the elders and their knowledge, sense of community, link to nature.

FGP_Vancouver_90dpi JGP_Alexandria_90dpi HA_Missoula_90dpi MCP_Missoula_90dpi PCA_ThunderBay2014_90dpiBGIF_Columbia2014_90dpi

Indians Like Us

Documentary, 56′ – 2013 – broadcast on PBS, Planet+

A group of French Indian hobbyists follow their dream to go and meet “real” Native Americans in the American Midwest. Filled with unforeseen emotion, this road movie presents great encounters on both sides, in the historical places of Native America: Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee, Little Big Horn.

Photos
Synopsis
Info sheet
Buy

Red Apple Inside Out

Documentary, 56′

A summer on the Powwow trail in the United States with an atypical Native American family ; LaVan MARTINEAU, a white orphan adopted as a child by an elder of the Paiute tribe, teaches his daughters to save the traces of a rare and fragile culture, he chose to embody.

Photos
Synopsis
Info sheet

A Paiute Woman

Documentary project, 45’/52′ (in progress)

Shanan, a Paiute Indian woman in Southern Utah is fighting for the survival of her culture and the trampled rights of her Tribe .
When the sacred and historic lands of the Anasazi Valley are threatened by property developers, she decides on the occasion of her marriage to resuscitate a traditional Paiute ceremony, for her family, her friends and her Tribe. She wants to convey to Paiute children, hope, will, and courage to resist.

Photos
Synopsis
Info sheet

A Powwow… in France

Documentary project, 52′ and webdoc (in development)

Since 2008, the French provincial city of Ornans has hosted an unusual summer event: Franco-­Swiss association 4-­Winds invites 50 members from various Native American tribes to hold an authentic Powwow. Beyond the colourful show, the city becomes the place of rich intercultural exchanges and crossed looks on each other with mutual benefits.

Photos
Synopsis
Info sheet
More

The House of Doctor Dieu

Documentary project, 90’/ 52′ (in development)

While in Vietnam many children are born deformed and disabled due to the toxic effects of Agent Orange* (cf synopsis), a retired Vietnamese woman doctor, Dr DIEU, transforms her house into a pilot rehabilitation center, where parents and children find some hope.

Photos
Synopsis
Info sheet
More