A Native American–directed documentary, Sugarcane, made history earlier this year when it earned a nomination for an Academy Award.
Codirected by Julian Brave NoiseCat (Secwepemc Nation) and Emily Kassie, the film investigates the abuses against and disappearances of Indigenous children at Saint Joseph’s Mission Indian Residential School in British Columbia—and also delves into the traumatic legacy of the larger Native American Indian residential school system across Canada and the US. Highlighting stories from survivors and descendants, Sugarcane exposes for the first time a pattern of infanticide, the killing of babies who were fathered by priests and born to Indigenous girls.
Although it didn’t take home the Oscar, Sugarcane garnered critical acclaim, winning Best Documentary at the National Board of Review, US Documentary Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and Best True Crime Documentary at the Critics’ Choice Awards. Since its 2024 debut, the movie has screened globally, sparking a grassroots movement to uncover the truth about hundreds of other schools.
From the mid to late 1800s until the 1970s, hundreds of thousands of Native children were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools in an attempt to “anglicize” and assimilate them into Canadian and American society. They were not allowed to speak their native languages or practice cultural traditions. Many were beaten and verbally abused, and thousands are believed to have died. Many young children perished because they attempted to escape, freezing in the harsh Canadian winter.
In Canada alone, a report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified 3,200 children who died while attending residential schools. Canada’s institutions were very similar to facilities in the United States; between the two countries there were approximately 500 residential schools, often operated by Catholic and Protestant denominations.
As a documentary filmmaker myself, I appreciate the years of research that went into the making of Sugarcane. As a Christian—and Native American by heritage—I’m devastated by the shameful stories of violent sexual crimes and infanticide. It would be hideous if these crimes had been committed by hardened criminals. It’s all the more appalling that they were perpetrated by church leaders, entrusted to be child caretakers and preachers of the gospel.
The night after watching Sugarcane, I couldn’t sleep. I’d cringed, screamed, and wept through the movie, and now I couldn’t stop thinking about it. My father, who was Cherokee and born on Indian territory in Oklahoma, was forced to attend a boarding school as a very young child. Although I do not believe he was sexually abused, our family has certainly felt the effects and emotional scars of his traumatic experiences.
As I felt God calling me to react to Sugarcane, I prayed that the Native American community might understand that these actions were not of Jesus, and might believe that the Lord will judge the violent school officials. Indeed, one emphasis of Jesus’ ministry was his admonishment of church leaders for hypocritical behavior. He called them “whitewashed tombs,” beautiful on the outside but full of bones on the inside (Matt. 23:27–28). He chastised those who honored him with their lips while their hearts were far away (Mark 7:6–8). And he warned that if someone caused a child to stumble, it would be “better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matt. 18:6).
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I continue to pray that the Native American community may understand the true nature of Jesus Christ: his love, his mercy, his support of children and others who are persecuted. Native Americans are in general a faithful people. According to recent surveys, around 6 in 10 identify as Christian believers. And yet one must wonder how much harm the horrors of these boarding schools did to the message of the gospel and trust in the church.
According to codirector Emily Kassie, Sugarcane is being screened post–award season for government officials, in classrooms, and in tribal community locations, including in New Zealand. I hope that through these screenings, Native communities can understand that beyond sin and hypocrisy there is healing and redemption at the hands of our Lord. Scripture promises ultimate judgement and victory from God (Rom. 12:19; 1 Cor. 5:10), and this gives me peace that I hope I can convey in my own life.
I also pray that as Christians we will remember that God created many peoples and cultures and that even though we are all one in Christ, we cannot ignore the differences between us. I encourage people of all backgrounds to celebrate Native American heritage and culture while also understanding tribes’ heartbreaking histories. Many tribal nations have museums and celebrations to which all are invited.
I recently led a Bible study based on the book Beyond Colorblind: Redeeming Our Ethnic Journey. Author Sarah Shin writes that “when we experience internal transformation in our ethnic journeys, God propels us outward in a reconciling witness to the world. Ethnic healing can demonstrate God’s power and goodness and bring good news to others.” My own ethnic-healing journey has been a story of two communities (Native American and Christian) intersecting and fusing to result in the inner contentment of my identity; of my mission; and of the deep, abiding love of Christ.
My prayer is that all of us can love the way Jesus loves us, with that love bringing healing and reconciliation to Native American communities and beyond.
Valerie Red-Horse Mohl (Cherokee) is a board member of Christianity Today, a finance professional, and an award-winning documentary filmmaker. She teaches part-time within Native American Studies at Stanford University.
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