
From 1950 to 1968 over 200,000 Native Americans migrated to cities, leaving their reservations and traditional lands due to government policies. Known colloquially as the “Relocation Era,” this period played a tremendous role in the growth of urban American Indian communities, eventually resulting in a majority of Native Americans living in urban areas in the following decades. Few films have captured this history, let alone as it was happening; this program, guest-curated by filmmaker Adam Piron, showcases a selection of essential titles and rarities that examine a moment of profound historical change.
Leadership support for
BAM’s strategic initiatives provided by:
Leadership support for
BAM Access Programs provided by
the Jerome L. Greene Foundation
Leadership support for
BAM programming provided by:
Leadership support for
BAM’s strategic initiatives provided by:
Leadership support for
BAM Film provided by
The Thompson Family Foundation
Major support for programs in
the Lepercq Cinema is provided by
The Lepercq Charitable Foundation
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Film
The Exiles
Fri, Jul 25, 2025
The Exiles
Fri, Jul 25, 2025Ken MacKenzie’s docudrama following young Native Americans adjusting to life in the big city in the late 50s is a document of the city’s vanished past and a rare, essential portrait of urban relocation. -
Film
In MacArthur Park
Sat, Jul 26, 2025
In MacArthur Park
Sat, Jul 26, 2025A desperate stick-up gone wrong forces a Mojave transplant in Los Angeles to run, dodging racist cops, hiding in slums, and reconnecting with friends from his reservation also struggling to survive. -
Film
Indians and Chiefs
Sun, Jul 27, 2025
Indians and Chiefs
Sun, Jul 27, 2025Largely unseen for over 50 years, Judith MacDougall’s documentary focuses on the Los Angeles Indian Center, a Native-run organization offering services and community for the city’s Indigenous population.