You are here:

The Ride

Name: The Ride
Director: Stéphanie Gillard
Released: 2018
Duration: 91 min

Representation Score

6.2/10

Good

2018

Director

Stéphanie Gillard

Runtime

91 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The Ride serves as a powerful tool for reclaiming history. By centering the Lakota Sioux experience, the film disrupts the traditional Western 'victor's narrative' and instead highlights the ability to act of indigenous peoples. It shifts the focus from military expansion to the lived reality of those affected by colonization. While the film excels in showcasing indigenous ability to act and cultural continuity, it does not delve into LGBTQ+ identities or specific gender dynamics. The focus remains on the communal and historical aspects of the Memorial Ride. Overall, the documentary is a significant work of cultural preservation. It provides a vital platform for underrepresented voices to reclaim their history through the lens of ancestral memory.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Ride have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on historical commemoration and tribal traditions. There is no explicit mention of LGBTQ+ characters or stories about non-traditional gender identities.

How does The Ride portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on a communal tradition involving young Lakota. Gender roles are not detailed, but the film highlights the lived experiences of the community.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Ride?

Excellent

The documentary offers excellent representation by focusing on a non-Anglo-Saxon majority. It prioritizes the ability to act of indigenous peoples and the Lakota Sioux viewpoint over typical Western historical perspectives.

How does The Ride represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film challenges Western institutional narratives by presenting history through the lens of survival and systemic hardship. It emphasizes the ongoing nature of indigenous culture and the connection to ancestors.

Does The Ride include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no specific information regarding the depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the film.

Present on Screen

Exceptional focus on indigenous ability to act and the Lakota Sioux perspective.
Effective challenge to traditional Western historical narratives and military-centric storytelling.
Strong emphasis on cultural continuity and the preservation of oral traditions.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit visibility regarding LGBTQ+ identities or non-traditional gender narratives.
Limited detail regarding specific gender roles or individual character arcs.
No information provided regarding the representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

The end of the Indian Wars in the US concluded with the horrific events at Wounded Knee in December, 1890. After Custer's defeat at Little Big Horn and Chief Sitting Bull's subsequent surrender and execution, the Lakota Sioux set out on a 300-mile walk southward through South Dakota. Along the way they were joined by Chief Big Foot's band of Minneconjou Lakota and pursued by the Calvary, ending up at Wounded Knee where 350 Lakota were massacred. In The Ride we are witness to the annual Chief Big Foot Memorial Ride, a tradition since 1986 where young Lakota retrace part of the route on a 300-mile horse ride in late December.

How are these scores produced? →