A Good Day to Die

A Good Day to Die offers a visceral and poignant exploration into the life and struggles of Native American rights legend, Dennis Banks. This 2010 documentary casts an impressive light onto the journey befallen by Banks, the cofounder of the American Indian Movement (AIM).

The film sets out a sympathetic and inspirational portrait of Banks, the resilient Ojibwa native who was born in 1937 on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Born into abject poverty and later removed from his family to be fostered with Caucasian families – a common practice of that time, Dennis’s early years were woven with adversity and hardship.

His unsettled educational journey ultimately brought him into the grip of alcohol addiction and minor crime, which cumulated in a series of harsh prison sentences. It was during this difficult period in jail that Banks began finding a new sense of purpose and direction in life, using his time incarcerated to embarking on a deep dive into the history, rights, and plight of Native Americans. A journey that cast him as one of the most recognizable figures in the Native American rights movement.

Guided by the narrations of Larry Anderson and the cameos of Tashina Banks, the beautifully distilled story of Dennis Banks and AIM is brought to full intensity. The audience is offered a fly-on-the-wall perspective of the moment in the 1960s and 70s when AIM was at the forefront of civil rights milestones. These events are covered from unique and fascinating angles, providing viewers with a fresh and often untold take on the group's contribution to American civil rights.

The film is a treasure trove of historical footage, insightful interviews, and personal reflections. David Mueller and Lynn Salt, the creators, pay meticulous attention to the issue at the heart of the film – the recognition and respect of the rights of native American communities.

Dennis Banks's steadfast voice and indomitable spirit shine through this documentary like an unquenchable flame. His determination, courage, and will to change the course of his people's future are palpable, awakening viewers to the legacy he leaves behind. A Good Day to Die portrays how, through his audacious zeal, Banks helps merge the turmoil of the oppressed into a movement that elevates the cause for native Americans' rights.

Directors Mueller and Salt intertwine Dennis Banks's personal journey alongside the broader story of indigenous activism in America through a remarkable cinematic synthesis. Much of the film tells the immensely compelling story of Banks' personal redemption, paired with a deep dive into his transformative role in American Indian history.

The film offers an invigorating balance between the personal and the political, thoughtfully locating Banks within the broader canvas of American civil rights history. Tackling critical issues like poverty, race relations, cultural erasure, and systemic oppression, A Good Day to Die serves as an eye-opening exploration of the struggles of the Native American people.

A Good Day to Die isn't just informative. It brings you closer to understanding the real-life struggles of Dennis Banks and other Native American activists. It documents a crucial chapter of American history that has often been ignored or misrepresented. It is transformative, raising the voice of a people who have been silenced for too long.

Marrying archival footage with contemporary interviews and the masterful use of oral storytelling traditions indigenous to the American Indian community, this documentary offers a well-rounded examination of key moments in American Indian civil rights history. Through this, it reflects Banks’s determination to maintain and protect the indigenous communities' cultural identity and uphold their rights.

A Good Day to Die is a moving, powerful film that serves as an important testament to the struggles, victories, and legacies of the American Indian Movement and its champions. It inspires empathy and spurs its audience to a deeper understanding and respect for the efforts of those who've fought so passionately and purposefully for equality and civil rights – among those the remarkable Dennis Banks. The documentary recalls a forgotten chapter in American civil rights history and spotlights one of its fiery leaders, providing a genuine and enlightening testament to their heroic struggle.