Director's Statement

I have many fond memories of growing up and spending time with my family, ripping apart an oven baked turkey, stuffing my face with mashed potatoes, corn and stuffing, and the most important of all… pumpkin pie. I have almost nothing but good memories of Thanksgiving.

It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I read about the true accounts of the first Thanksgiving, one of which was said to be a celebration after the pilgrims massacred a Pequot village of men, women and children. This was retaliation for finding a body of a dead white man who was believed to be killed by the “savage indians.” I’ve also read that they impaled the chief’s head on a long pole to be displayed outside of the pilgrim’s village. I was to understand that this was one of the first Thanksgivings. It was upon reading this that I decided I would never celebrate this holiday again.

I tried my hardest to convince my family to stop celebrating, but at this point, they were used to my radical politics and always protesting something. They continued to celebrate and so I decided that I would use the day to fast in mourning for those who were massacred, not only for the Pequot, but for the millions that would be massacred in the next centuries. With this film, Happy Thanksgiving, I want to explore the topic without teaching about the history. My main goal with this film is to leave the audience with something new, maybe something they’ve never thought of, to think critically about this nations past and how we blindly celebrate holidays that may have a dark history behind it. Whether people decide to never celebrate Thanksgiving again or not, is not important, but as long as they can begin to think critically and start discussions around it, thats what’s important.

—Shane Mcsauby

Social Impact:

How would the cinematic landscape of this continent change if the Native people of this land were given positions of creative leadership both behind the camera and in the writers room? What would happen if this entire continent grew up exposed to Native stories and the true history of Thanksgiving that has been historically erased?

Blending dark comedy, suspense, political drama and thriller, Happy Thanksgiving will fill a much needed gap within Native cinema, and also American cinema.  While we have experienced directors, producers and crew working on the project , it is important for the process of making this film to reflect a future where more Native filmmakers are behind the camera. To do this, we are bringing in two of the new Sundance Institute Native Film Fellows as production assistants to shadow the crew.

Upon finishing the film, not only do we plan on submitting the film to the international festival circuit , and more importantly: we plan to create talks and workshops around it geared toward the empowerment of Native youth storytellers. 

By screening the film and teaching workshops to Anishinaabe and Native communities around the country, on both reservations and urban communities, we hope to help inspire the next generation of Native youth to make their own content and become changemakers of the future.

Your support of Happy Thanksgiving will go a long way and proceeds will go toward making the film and supporting Native communities. Thank you!