You will rarely see a short film that delivers on its title as fully or hypnotically as “Blackfeet Buffalo Yo-Yo Ma.”
The film, making its world premiere this weekend at the Santa Fe International Film Festival, features the renowned cellist playing “Amazing Grace” as buffalo storm majestically across the Blackfeet Nation, the federally recognized tribal land bordering Glacier National Park in Montana.
For a few brief moments you’re transported by images and music, to a timeless, dreamlike place. But the film’s purpose isn’t just to transport you: “Blackfoot Buffalo Yo Yo Ma” was commissioned by Indigenous Led, a Native-led nonprofit that has worked for years to try to restore buffalo to their ancestral homelands.
“For around 150 years, buffalo haven’t existed on this land, nearly driven to extinction by genocide and the colonization of Turtle Island, also known as the United States of America,” says Hunter Robert Baker, who co-directed the film with Elias Gallegos.
We talked to Baker about the film’s mission, creating a cinematic dream, and the stunning moment Yo-Yo Ma touches a buffalo.
MovieMaker: Can you talk about how Yo-Yo Ma came to be involved in this project?
Hunter Robert Baker: Yo-Yo Ma has been an advocate of this restoration effort for years, wanting to honor the power of relationship with these sacred buffalo relatives, called “iinnii” in the Blackfoot language.
In May, Yo-Yo Ma traveled to Blackfeet Nation to add his artistry to the chorus that calls to the sacred buffalo relatives. Yo-Yo performed “Amazing Grace,” a medley that provides hope and unity during divided times.
The film culminates in three parts – IINNIIWA: The Blackfeet Buffalo Story, Act I, Act II, and Act III. Act II is a documentary that will premiere in New York City and in Montana on Blackfeet Nation. Santa Fe audiences will see Act I during Santa Fe International Film Festival.
MovieMaker: How did you and the other filmmakers get involved?
Hunter Robert Baker: We were honored to have Chris Eyre [Smoke Signals, Dark Winds] as our Executive Producer, serving a crucial role for the film. He had a vision of these sacred relatives on their journey back home. In a dream moment, Yo-Yo shows a sign of respect and honor by touching forehead to forehead, a connection that unites heart and soul. This scene is meant to evoke a time when people and animals lived in close relation with one another.
My dual role as cinematographer allowed me to observe, respect, and honor these iinnii buffalo. The collaboration between Elias and me meant a closer lens on the vital nature of this story.
Hunter Robert Baker on ‘Blackfeet Buffalo Yo-Yo Ma’
MovieMaker: The visuals in this film are so stunning — were all the buffalo real? Were any VFX used to capture so many of them running together?
Hunter Robert Baker: I can say with immense gratitude that all of the scenes of buffalo running through the landscape were filmed in-camera. This is a tremendous thanks to the Blackfeet Buffalo Program and fantastic wrangler team who raise and care for the Buffalo as they are guided towards their rewilding release.
The Blackfeet Buffalo Program has been at the forefront of returning buffalo to the Blackfeet territory for more than two decades. In June 2023, the Program made history by returning 49 iinnii to their homelands at the base of Nínaiistáko, or Chief Mountain—a site sacred to all Blackfeet. The homecoming was a moment of fruition for the long-time partnerships between the Blackfoot Buffalo Program, Blackfeet Fish & Wildlife, Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks, and the Native-led nonprofit Indigenous Led.
MovieMaker: Is the scene when Yo-Yo Ma touches the buffalo real? How did you accomplish it?
Hunter Robert Baker: Yo-Yo Ma is a wonderful human radiating positivity in every direction. Of course, safety was a big concern for the shoot. As producers, we don’t encourage anyone to ever touch buffalo. They should always be observed and respected from a safe distance. This scene is a dream and meant to represent a time when people and animals lived in close relation with one another. The film does have some movie magic to capture this scene safely.
As we filmed Yo-Yo’s performance, it actually evoked a real reaction from the iinnii buffalo nearby and they made their way closer and closer to Yo-Yo. It shows that music has the power to unite.
MovieMaker: Can you detail the Santa Fe connection to the film?
Hunter Robert Baker: Chris, Elias and I are based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We have a wonderful filmmaking community here that supports and respects Indigenous stories. I have been working in the Southwest for 13 years, spending extensive time on Navajo Nation. After a decade, I came to Santa Fe and discovered for myself the passionate community of art supporters.
MovieMaker: Can you tell me a little more about Indigenous Led?
Hunter Robert Baker: Indigenous Led is a native-led nonprofit organization whose work is focused on science, youth and the rematriation of buffalo on Indigenous lands. Their work is extensive across the country. They support and believe art and film have the unique ability to unite, heal, and evoke a conversation around meaningful change.
The best part of this project was really learning about the youth of Blackfeet Nation. For around 150 years, buffalo have been gone from these lands. Multiple generations grew up, lived and passed on without ever seeing their sacred iinnii relatives, an animal that is directly tied to their Blackfoot language and origin story. Now, thanks to these wonderful organizations, the youth are growing up with buffalo around them, on their lands, and in their ceremonies. The return of buffalo is giving the youth a way to connect with their origin story, their Blackfoot language, and their ancestry. This effort begins a process of healing generations of destruction and looks toward a brighter future.
“Blackfeet Buffalo Yo-Yo Ma” plays Sunday at the Santa Fe International Film Festival, one of our 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee. You can read more of our festival coverage here.
All photos courtesy of the film.