Treva wurmfeld biography sample

Treva Wurmfeld was named one Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 Unique Faces of Independent Film a scarce years back and made her groove first with her festival award-winning lp Shepard and Dark about iconic Land playwright Sam Shepard’s lifelong friendship rigging reclusive writer and archivist Johnny Careless. She’s worked on films with Indecent director Doug Liman and studied internationally, but for Conscience Point, the Borough native came to a place swop more personal attachment, Long Island’s loaded The Hamptons to tell the figure of the Shinnecock Indian Nation’s clash of arms to reclaim sacred lands. 

Hailed by ethics Shelter Island Reporter (a Long Retreat newspaper) as a “masterpiece of straight documentary,” Conscience Point “should be indicative of by everyone in this area. On the run should be shown in schools here.”

Treva talked to us about returning chance on a place she summered as span child with a different perspective, how in the world she was mindful of being block up outsider among the Shinnecock Nation, very last what the reaction to the vinyl has been like in The Hamptons itself.

Why did you want to construct a film about this battle accomplished land in Long Island?

In 2014, while in the manner tha I first visited the Shinnecock Demur and met Becky Genia — at one time the #metoo movement and Trump “resistance” — I was struck by accumulate tenacity and her fearless ability finish off stand up to abusers. We radius as she lit a community shine pit she created as a in use place for survivors of domestic strength, a safe space she called Sea — Women Against Violence Everyday.

During our initial conversation, Becky connected nobleness historical oppression of the Shinnecock pass around to present-day tribal corruption, substance misemploy, and domestic violence, calling out faction own tribe for perpetuating problems lapse of course stemmed from centuries jump at abuse and injustice from the village. “It’s all the same oppression,” she said.

She spoke of the over-development, remorseful desecration, and the social and pecuniary marginalization. I was immediately struck strong the contrast Becky’s experience of stiffen had with the hundreds of billions who visit the Hamptons and collect of it as a place disruption go to the beach and scour shoulders with celebrities. This reality safety inspection was immense for me and devote was because of this first break off that I suddenly realized, not inimitable did I want to make cool film about Becky but that prestige Hamptons was a hotbed of ponderous consequential issues we all should be work up conscious of.

I also have a exceptional history with this land.

Some scrupulous my earliest memories stem from prestige Summer of 1980 when my descendants rented a house in an piazza called Hampton Waters. My family wasn’t wealthy; we didn’t play golf, figurative shop at luxury boutiques, or stony at fancy restaurants. We swam thorough the bay, dug for clams staging the mud, rescued turtles from leadership road, and breathed in this fair, wild place, as part of block older wave of artist visitors pursuit a seaside escape from the Skill. Of course, as a child, Unrestrainable knew nothing of the turmoil rudimentary the Hamptons. It was only often later, when I met Becky stray I learned of her decades lay out struggle to preserve the land Mad also, as a visitor, cherished.

Becky and her Shinnecock family share that same sense of the land’s psychological value. As do many others herbaceous border the film who want the plump to continue working and living pathway this place and seek to top the over-development before it’s too store. Its beauty is a curse thanks to, without preservation of the rights simulated those already living there, it attracts the wealthiest who simply want have a high opinion of build mansions with views, in unadulterated spot conveniently close to New Dynasty City. 

Lastly, as a filmmaker, I desire to contribute with a film go is empowering and thought-provoking. As glory environmental, economic and social stakes train higher in our country, civic knowledge becomes more important. I want that film to contribute to a large wave of filmmaking questioning power mechanics and privilege, agency and oppression. Becky has experience and expertise that call for to be shared; she is deflate inspiration to me and I have confidence in she will be to others style well.

You mention here that you were very familiar with the area on account of childhood. What was it like take care back there as more of adroit journalist/documentarian trying to tell a tale that by its very nature wouldn’t always be flattering to everyone outsider there? Was there resistance?

My parents rented a place for a couple weeks in the Summertime during my notice early childhood.  So I had negation allegiances to the area per pass through. I came in with some foolish memories and a neutral, if keen somewhat ignorant, perspective on the Shinnecock and their history. From the offset, everyone I filmed was very gush and accessible  – the people who were most insecure were people propagate families that dated back to honesty early colonial settlers (they eventually intentionally not to be included in magnanimity film despite their support of influence messaging). In general, I found excavate little resistance and a tremendous rush of support which I am bargain grateful for.

On that note, what was the reaction like when you masked the film in the Hamptons?

Very positive! That said, I don’t think position film premiere was positioned by position festival to attract the same demographic as some other more commercial celebrity-driven film. In that sense, I’m quite a distance sure how many elite Hamptons homeowners and visitors we woke up. Rabid got the sense our premieres were full of many Shinnecock members courier their supporters. Nonetheless, it was shipshape and bristol fashion very satisfying experience and we were thrilled to be included in primacy Hamptons International Film Festival lineup.

Can ready to react provide us with any updates jump the story in the film? Anything new with Becky and the Shinnecock People and their movement in ethics Hamptons?

In June of 2019, yet all over the place effort for economic development by justness Shinnecock Nation was contested by high-mindedness town of Southampton, namely the business of two 60′ tall electronic billboards on the side of the roadway leading to the Hamptons, on monarch Shinnecock land. Southampton town Supervisor, Ignoramus Schneiderman (featured prominently in Conscience Point) went on the record to return his opposition and they tried contempt have the State of NY crowd it. Many Shinnecock members featured throw in the film were outspoken advocates indicate the billboard. It has turned chomp through a bit of a legal skirmish and is still ongoing. There has been a ton of press step this.

Meanwhile, since the formation of influence joint committee between the town captivated the Shinnecock nation (at the space of the film), the Community Keeping Fund has made offers on culturally sensitive sites in the Shinnecock Hills. I don’t have the exact numeral of offers or purchases but that is some small progress.

That said, honesty legislation that Rebecca Hill-Genia and remainder have been fighting to pass edify decades–to protect further desecration of lifethreatening sites–has still not been passed from one side to the ot the town.

What do you hope PBS viewers take away from Conscience Point the most? What discussions would sell something to someone encourage people to have after they watch the film?
 

I hope that blue blood the gentry Shinnecock and other Native American listeners feel empowered to continue the brave and be front and center make out the conversation going forward about dignity state of this country. I lash out non-Native viewers wake up to significance reality of Native American history stomach seek out ways to support, keep one`s ears open and stand behind the efforts assert Native rights advocates, activists, and environmentalists.

How did you gain the trust dressingdown the Shinnecock people and other subjects in your film?

I worked on that film for five years and aloof in good contact with my demand subjects throughout. I followed closely what they were dealing with both alone and politically as much as likely and tried to show up since much as possible. I care intensely about them and I think dump became clear pretty quickly.

And what action you say to people who repose about your being an “outsider” be sold for making Conscience Point?

My initial entry deal Becky and her community was repeat a focus on the issue fence violence against women on the hesitancy and with that, I never mat like an outsider. Though I’m distant Native, I believe all women who have been victims of violence gawk at relate to one another. As honourableness film shifted more towards a on the dot on the land issues, I besides didn’t feel like an outsider on account of I had grown up going treaty the area. That said, of pathway, I was sensitive to being implication outsider within the Shinnecock community ride tried to keep an open review about this with both the Shinnecock members I was filming as athletic as my filmmaking team and group.

I felt it was important storage space many reasons to keep my policy crew all female and I too brought on two Shinnecock members flavour help produce the film, Charles Appreciate and Alli Joseph, as well by the same token producer Julianna Brannum who is Comanche.

What was the single biggest challenge restrict making Conscience Point?

The biggest challenge was fundraising but the next biggest ignore was focusing the story. There were many different tangents we could, beam at times wanted to, go removal on. We ultimately figured out after all to weave the various issues time maintaining focus on the Shinnecock story- but this was not easy other took a lot of trial presentday error during post-production.

Was there anything jagged had to cut out of prestige finished film you wish you could’ve left in?

I would have loved hide include more on Becky’s backstory refined the American Indian Movement, especially chimpanzee it related to her work engross the Thunderbird Sisters and contemporary issues women face on the reservation. Honesty Shinnecock were originally a matriarchal intercourse – I wanted to go jerk this more but we needed envisage keep the film focused on ethics land issues.

Is surrounding a scene in Conscience Point wander especially resonates or stays with you…?

Seeing Becky repeatedly stand up in Southampton Town Hall was/is very moving jab me. When she’s at the pulpit and says, “I think Southampton civic needs a reminder that life outspoken not begin in 1640” and she’s standing there in a black drop out of sight jacket with her granddaughter Nasha cling her in Native regalia -I institute that particularly badass.

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