Far West – The Hidden History
Far West – The Hidden History
2021, 55-minute documentary film
Co-directed by Mathilde Damoisel and Tomas van Houtryve
Based on the book Lines and Lineage by Tomas van Houtryve
Synopsis:
Photographer Tomas van Houtryve confronts America’s collective amnesia and reveals the hidden legacy of the Far West. He meets and photographs the descendants of families that have lived in these lands since long before the American conquest: indigenous, black and mestizo families that never crossed the border – the border crossed them. Rendered strangers in their own land, they push back on the founding myths of the American Frontier and contribute their own overlooked stories to our common history.
Honors:
• 2023 Winner, Étoile de La SCAM, France
• 2022 Official selection, Montreal International History Film Festival, Canada
• 2022 Winner of the Jury Prize, Ogeechee International Film Festival, USA
Teacher’s Guide:
In partnership with Stanford University, a teacher’s guide was created for Far West – The Hidden History. The guide was created by curriculum specialists Irene Bryant and Stefanie Orrick through the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE).
The development of the guide was made possible by the generous support of Amanda Minami, who has been unwavering in her commitment to making the visual arts accessible to schools. Additional funding was provided by the Center for Latin American Studies, Stanford University and Dr. Bert Bower and Dr. Jerome Shaw.
The teachers guide and film are hosted by CatchLight.
Credits:
Co-Directors: Mathilde Damoisel and Tomas van Houtryve
Cinematography: Tomas van Houtryve
Producer : Les Films d’Ici – Martine Saada
Production manager: Nicolas Lebecque
Editing: Alexandre Auque
Original soundtrack: Fabien Bourdier
Sound Mix: Matthieu Cochin
Available language versions: English & Français
International sales : Arte Distribution
First broadcast: Sunday, 9 January 2022 on France 5.